BroBible
Aidan Hutchinson is currently on track to return to the Detroit Lions in time for the 2025 NFL season. However, the latest update from his recovery has raised some concern about that timeline.
It depends on who you ask…
One thing that we do know for sure is that Hutchinson’s left leg is much smaller than his right because of the injury he suffered during his third season in the NFL. The atrophy caused him to lose a lot of muscle!
Hutchinson suffered a gruesome broken leg during Week 6. He fractured both his tibia and fibula, which typically requires a recovery of at least six months. At least.
The initial bone healing requires approximately eight weeks of immobilization after surgery. From there, a recovery period of six to 12 weeks allows for light physical therapy to regain strength, range of motion and balance. The final phase, which normally lasts three to six months or longer, focus on regaining full function and a return to activities that require heavy use of the leg— like football.
Although the Lions did not get there, Hutchinson boldly claimed in December that he would would be able to return to the field for the Super Bowl. I doubted it at the time, but we will never know.
The focus now shifts toward 2025. Detroit defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard expects Hutchinson to pick right up where he left off when he returns from injury in the fall.
When you look at the performance staff … those guys don’t get mentioned and noticed, but the return-to-play ratio that we have had, those guys have been miracle workers. I mean it was a trauma unit in there this year and they never batted eye. It was never any complaining, it was never any finger pointing. It was just, “This is the date, you’re going to have the guy back, we’ll have him ready to go,” and that was what it was.
I mean, that’s top down throughout the organization. So I have full confidence (Hutchinson is) going to be back to health.
— Kelvin Sheppard
Aidan Hutchinson shared a similar expectation last month. His rehabilitation process is nearing the end.
I’m there. I’d say I’m good. I’ve got my last evaluation tests when I get back, I leave today and I go back tomorrow to the rehab. I’m gonna finish those evals and once I knock them out of the park, I’ll be on my way and done with rehab. It was a long process, I’ll tell you that.
— Aidan Hutchinson on April 11
An exact timeline for return has yet to be established. Detroit will begin OTAs on May 28. Training camp is scheduled for the end of July, somewhere around the 20th. Will Hutchinson be ready to go?
Jim Kielbaso seems to think so. The Michigan-based sports performance trainer shared a video of his client over the weekend, which supposedly shows...
