Even if you’re a fan of a rival NFC North team, you’re simply not human if your heart didn’t break for Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson yesterday.
In many ways, Hutchinson is the heart and soul of the Lions. The sight of him lying on the Dallas turf in clear pain following his gruesome leg injury was brutal to see.
Although FOX did their best to not show too many replays of the injury, there was one shot in particular that captured just how serious the situation was.
Unfortunately for the Lions, the injury overshadowed their dominant 47-9 victory over the Cowboys.
Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed the severity of Hutchinson’s injury and revealed that the 23-year-old underwent immediate surgery at a hospital in Dallas.
“He’s being taken care of. He’ll stay back here (in Dallas), he’s being taken care of. Obviously, he’s going to be down for a little while,” Campbell said. “So that’s tough, man. It’s hard when you lose somebody like him. But we’ll know a lot more after this and obviously wish him the best.”
The injury occurred during the third quarter as Hutchinson attempted to sack Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
His leg inadvertently collided with teammate Alim McNeill, causing Hutchinson to fall to the ground in visible pain. Medical staff quickly responded, placing an air cast on his leg before he was carted off the field.
The scary sight shook players from both teams. Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb was nearly in tears.
“It’s obvious how good he is and how great of a player he is on the field and what he does for our team schematically and what type of season he was having,” Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone said.
“Just to see him in that situation, it kind of just brings you back down to earth. We’re playing a violent and dangerous sport. To see him go out like that is tough just from a human aspect.”
With the season in full swing, it’s widely expected that Hutchinson will miss at least the remainder of the regular season.
Early reports indicate that Hutchinson is likely done for the entire season no matter of how deep of a run Detroit goes on in the playoffs.
However, there’s a sliver of hope for Lions fans that Hutchinson might make a surprising return for Super Bowl LIX, should Detroit make it that far.
Late Sunday night, reports emerged suggesting Hutchinson’s injury may not be as severe as initially feared.
Michael Stone of Detroit’s 97.1 The Ticket shared a hopeful message on social media, citing someone close to Hutchinson.
“Even though it looked bad, it’s less of an injury than he suffered in college. Pretty soon he will be bionic. When we make it to the Super Bowl, he will be ready to go.”
Hutchinson’s collegiate career at the University of Michigan was derailed by a fractured right ankle during his junior season in 2020. However, Sunday’s injury affects his left leg, and according to Stone, it’s “less of an injury” compared to the one he sustained in college.
The Detroit News also reported that there is reason for relative optimism.
“A source close to Hutchinson told The Detroit News on Sunday that the injury appears less severe than a worst-case scenario and Hutchinson might be able to return for the Super Bowl, should the Lions make it,” the report stated.
For what it’s worth, Campbell confirmed that the recovery outlook is 4-6 months. However, he made sure to point out that he’d never bet against Hutchinson beating those odds.
While any return this season is far from guaranteed, the idea of Hutchinson suiting up for a potential Super Bowl appearance in New Orleans in February provides a glimmer of hope for Lions fans.
Detroit is clearly a Super Bowl contender, and Hutchinson is a major reason why. He was looked upon as an early favorite for NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was growing into one of the best players in all of football.
While his absence won’t derail the Lions season, Detroit will need to try to find a way to replace his production on the field. (Good luck.)
It’s worth noting that former wide receiver Terrell Owens famously returned to play in the Super Bowl just seven weeks after suffering a broken leg and torn ankle ligament in 2004, though his injury was less severe.
What are your thoughts on Hutchinson’s brutal injury?
Do you think there’s any way we see him on the field again this season?
Can the Lions win the Super Bowl without him???