Pride of Detroit
The Detroit Lions have a superstar in EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, and the team knows that. They took him with the second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft with the expectations that he would be a wrecking force on the defensive line. Hutchinson has proven them right, with strong rookie and sophomore seasons. His 2024 season was on pace to be his best season yet, and a gruesome leg injury derailed that early, ending his season after just five games.
He returned to play in 2025, and he had the best season of his career. While it was a strong return, I think he could see more development and growth in 2026. Let’s look back at how the 2025 season went for Hutchinson, and how it could be even better in 2026.
Previous season previews: RB Jahmyr Gibbs, RB Sione Vaki, OT Penei Sewell, WR Jameson Williams
When NFL players come back from a serious leg injury, it’s widely known that it takes over a year to return to their true selves. While they can still play, they might not be as quick as they once were, might not be able to move the same way, or might be afraid of re-injuring themselves. It’s more of a mental side of things when returning, but also, even though they are good enough to play, the injury sometimes needs more time to heal and get them closer to where they were beforehand.
Hutchinson’s expectations were mixed. Some expected him to return to the way he was and possibly be better, while others just wanted him on the field and healthy. I thought last year that Hutchinson could win Defensive Player of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year if he could play even close to how he played in 2024, with the chance to break the NFL sack record. Safe to say my expectations were higher than most, but that record technically did get broken in 2025, just not by Hutchinson.
17 games (17 starts)
Stats: 54 total tackles, 35 quarterback hits, 14.5 sacks, 14 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles, three pass deflections, and one interception
PFF defensive grade: 91.8 (4th out of 130 qualifying DEs — minimum 205 snaps)
PFF pass rush grade: 92.1 (4th out of 130)
PFF run defense grade: 70.6 (t-29th out of 130)
PFF tackling grade: 47.3 (85th out of 130)
Talk about a return, eh? Hutchinson had a career-high 14.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2025. He was still a problem in the pass-rushing game and continued to be a difference maker for the Lions’ defensive line. His season was good, but not good enough to win any awards, finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting and second in Comeback Player of the Year voting. He returned to the Pro Bowl and got his first NFL All-Pro nod, making the second team.
It was a good return to...
