Detroit Lions fans, breathe easy—Aidan Hutchinson says he’s feeling great.
The star edge rusher, who’s been rehabbing from a broken tibia and fibula suffered late last season against the Dallas Cowboys, gave a very encouraging update while appearing on the “Thursday at The Masters” podcast.
Aidan Says Rehab Is Almost Behind Him
“I’m there. I’d say I’m good,” Hutchinson said as quoted by Lions On SI. “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.”
It’s the kind of update Lions fans have been hoping for, especially with OTAs and training camp creeping closer on the calendar. Hutchinson’s presence on the field is not just important—it’s vital for a Detroit defense that’s built around his relentless motor and leadership.
Sprinting Video Went Viral—and So Did the Support
When Hutchinson posted a sprinting video to social media earlier this offseason, it took off in ways he didn’t expect.
“People were loving that sprinting video, I didn’t think people would love it as much as they did,” Hutchinson laughed. “But I got a lot of text messages, a lot of people DM’ing me. It was cool, the support has been amazing.”
A Hard-Earned Perspective
The injury, the longest rehab of his football life, taught Hutchinson a lot about himself—and others.
“It felt pretty long, the early stages were pretty rough but just being out of that now, you just have this appreciation for your body, you have this appreciation for no pain and running. I’m happy to be done with that,” he said.
“This is the biggest injury I’ve ever had. Of course when you’re ripped out of the game, you love it, you want to get back, that’s natural. To me, it was having this empathy for people who get hurt in the NFL. Playing at such a high level and then getting ripped from that,” Hutchinson explained.
“I feel like I typically would see guys in the training room and be like, ‘Hey man, hope you’re alright, hope you’re doing better.’ And then when I was in that position and guys, it’s a funny perspective.”
In fact, that early sympathy became a bit overwhelming.
“Guys would come up to me and be like, ‘Hey man, I hope you’re doing okay.’ This is like three weeks in, now, and I’m sitting there like, ‘If people keep victimizing me, I’m gonna victimize myself,’” he said. “It got to a point where I loved when people came up and treated me like everything was normal. I gained an understanding from a different side of the game, which I would never have without this injury. That was something I really learned about, having that empathy for the injured people.”
Bottom Line
Aidan Hutchinson’s mindset is strong, his rehab is nearly done, and his perspective is sharper than ever. If you needed any more proof that Hutchinson is ready to reclaim his dominance in 2025, just rewind that sprinting video—and listen to his words. He’s coming back hungry.
