Pride of Detroit
Coaches believe Hendon Hooker has gotten better every year, but is he truly ready to be the Detroit Lions’ trusted backup quarterback?
As we near training camp, position battles start to become the main focus. And in Detroit, there never seems to be a bigger competition than the backup quarterback job. Jared Goff is running unopposed for the starting job, but there is plenty of intrigue behind him.
With our 2025 Detroit Lions roster review continuing, let’s focus in on Hendon Hooker, how his career has progressed, and what that may look like in this upcoming season.
Previous previews: QB Jared Goff, RB Sione Vaki, RB Jahmyr Gibbs, WR Jameson Williams, WR Kalif Raymond, TE Sam LaPorta, OL Colby Sorsdal, OT Giovanni Manu, OT Penei Sewell, G Graham Glasgow, EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, DT Brodric Martin, DL Pat O’Connor, LB Malcolm Rodriguez, LB Grant Stuard, CB Ennis Rakestraw, CB Terrion Arnold, DB Brian Branch, K Jake Bates
After essentially redshirting his rookie season, Hooker was expected to compete for the backup job—with some serious hope he had progressed a lot in what limited practices he got in at the end of 2023.
His main competition for the backup job was veteran Nate Sudfeld, and there was a strong battle between the two brewing in training camp. There was little doubt Hooker would make the team, but it wasn’t clear if he’d win the backup job or if he’d struggle and necessitate Sudfeld making the 53-man roster as the primary backup.
3 games (0 starts) — 33 offensive snaps
Stats: 6-of-9, 62 yards, 86.3 passer rating
PFF overall grade: 74.1 (Did not qualify for ranking)
PFF passing grade: 72.8
Hooker had an up-and-down training camp, but it was enough for him to win the job outright. Sudfeld was cut and not kept on the practice squad, while the Lions added another young quarterback in Jake Fromm to serve as the third string.
That, alone, showed a strong amount of faith in Hooker. The Lions didn’t feel the need of a polished, veteran emergency option.... well, until the playoffs.
Detroit had seemingly always planned to sign Teddy Bridgewater once the semi-retired quarterback was done coaching his high school team. That’s exactly what they did, and Bridgewater was anointed the backup for the Lions’ playoff game against the Commanders. Coach Dan Campbell insisted that wasn’t a knock on Hooker’s development.
“It doesn’t mean we’re disappointed in Hooker. That’s not what this means,” Campbell said. “It just means this gives us somebody that’s played a lot in the NFL. We’re getting ready for the playoffs, so it’ll be good to get him back in the fold with us.”
Quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell took it a step further, insisting they would be comfortable if Hooker needed to step in.
That’s not how it played out, though. Goff did end up missing one series, and it was Bridgewater—not Hooker—who stepped in.
Still, coaches seemed...
