The Detroit Lions lost defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson way back in Week 6. When he broke his leg, most estimates had him out for the rest of the season and postseason. There were sporadic reports that he could make his way back onto the field for a potential Lions Super Bowl.
On Sunday, FOX’s Jay Glazer offered the most optimistic of scenarios for Hutchinson during the pregame show “Fox NFL Sunday.”
“Here’s where he is: He’s actually doing some underwater running on an underwater treadmill,” Glazer said. “He’s able to walk on land, as they say. He’s supposed to use a cane, but he’s not really using it right now. And they are actually holding out hope—just because of how hard he works—that he could possibly be back, not (for) the Super Bowl, but (for) the NFC Championship Game, depending on how that bone feels, and Dan Campbell says also (it depends) on how much practice he can get.”
Prior to his injury, Hutchinson was making a strong case for Defensive Player of the Year. Through five games, he had 7.5 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, and—according to PFF—45 pressures. Heading into Week 14, those 45 pressures still ranked in the top 15 in the NFL.
The Lions haven’t lost since Hutchinson’s injury, and their defense continues to play at a high level. Through 13 games, the Lions rank second in the NFL in points per game allowed (18.0). That said, injuries have piled up, and the Lions’ pass rush has been inconsistent since losing Hutchinson. The Lions have done what they can to adjust to life without Hutchinson—increasing their blitz rate and trading for Za’Darius Smith—but there’s no doubt that if the Lions could get Hutchinson back late in a playoff run, it would be a massive win.
Let’s hope that there is some real truth behind a report like this and it’s not just optimistic conjecture.
