Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is good to go following a season-ending broken fibula and tibia.
"I'm fully cleared," he said Thursday, seemingly surprised to be getting the question at this point.
Last month, Hutchinson intimated that he was cleared after posting videos working out, noting, "I'd say I'm good."
Thursday's comments cemented things.
Hutchinson was on a Defensive Player of the Year pace before suffering the devastating injury in Week 6. At that stage, the former No. 2 overall pick led the NFL with 7.5 sacks and was tied for fourth with 30 QB pressures, per Next Gen Stats.
After suffering the October injury versus Dallas, there was chatter that Hutchinson could attempt a return if the Lions made the Super Bowl. With Detroit bowing out in the Divisional Round, the idea remains hypothetical.
Hutchinson is in line for a massive extension and isn't worried about the injury stalling his career. He views it simply as the next hurdle.
"I would say there's motivation not from getting it taken away but me putting that on tape, and I had a lot of growth in those first five games to where I feel like you evolve as a player, and things were clicking at a high level," he said. "I had a lot of thoughts at the time that were like, if I'm thinking about a golf swing, you have the good swing thoughts going on. Pass rushing, I had these good pass rush thoughts, good things going on. I feel like that's just gonna carry over, and I'm going to continue to build on that. I think a lot of people believe that that is kind of my ceiling, but I still believe that I'm going to continue to push for those greater heights. I'm 24. I'm still a young dude. I don't think that's the peak. That's the point."
The Lions, who didn't add a significant complementary edge piece this offseason, are banking on Hutch returning to form in 2025 as they seek a third consecutive NFC North title.
