The Detroit Lions pulled off a victory on the road against the Kansas City Chiefs on August 17, and the team may have a certain mom to thank.
Speaking with reporters following the Lions’ preseason game against the Chiefs, backup quarterback Hendon Hooker said he was happy he slid on one run during the 24-23 win, and his mom is happy, too.
Lions Backup QB Takes Mom’s Advice
Never underestimate Mom, even if you’re an NFL quarterback.
On August 14, Hooker told media during a training camp press conference that his “mom is a huge fan of sliding,” adding, “I always get it from her, but now the coaches are on me, as well.”
“That’s her thing. She’s been saying it for years. I’m learning,” he said.
Hooker said his mother texted and called after the team’s August 8 opening preseason game against the New York Giants to remind him that sometimes it’s important to slide to avoid getting hit. Hooker suffered a concussion against the Giants and had to leave the game.
“I wasn’t even trying to run the guy over. I just embraced for impact and he just kind of bounced off of me,” Hooker said.
On August 17, Hooker took his mother’s advice and said that when it comes to the slide during that game against the Chiefs, “I’m going to get a huge hug around the neck for that one,” according to the Detroit Free Press.
Hooker, of course, said he was also happy that he helped the team pull off a win. In the matchup, Hooker finished 12-of-15 for 150 yards and added 11 rushing yards, also counting a touchdown.
“Anything is good as long as we win, that’s for sure,” he said, according to the Detroit Free Press. “But just continuing to chip away at the ice and get better every day.”
Dan Campbell Is Complimentary of Hendon Hooker
Lions head coach Dan Campbell praised Hooker during the August 17 press conference, saying he was impressed that Hooker learned from some of the mistakes he made during the team’s August 8 preseason loss to the New York Giants, in which Hooker clocked 36 yards passing and 34 rushing.
“The biggest part of this is the mistakes he’s making, and to have to come back in, or the next play, he’s got to put the last one behind him and get to the next play. Or put the last drive behind him, it wasn’t good, and he’s got to go back in,” Campbell told reporters.
Campbell added, “Ultimately, the drive before the winner, we messed some things up. He made a few errors — more than a few. But, then he comes back the last drive, he’s got to put it — ‘Hey man, put that behind you.’ And he cleans it up. He cleans it up, he moves the football, he learns from it and so that was excellent, man. So, every time he gets a chance to take the reps and grow from it, we’re going to be better off. He’s going to be better off.”
The Detroit Lions’ 2024 regular season begins on Sunday, September 8, at 8:20 p.m. Eastern time at Detroit’s Ford Field against the Los Angeles Rams.
