On Thursday, Aidan Hutchinson was named as the “Pepsi Zero Sugar Rookie of the Year”, after having a solid rookie season for the Detroit Lions. Of course, when you are the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft, expectations are that you will be an impact player in your rookie season, and Hutchinson was exactly that as he recorded 9.5 sacks in 2022. But, according to Aidan, his first year in the NFL was “just a little appetizer” for what is coming.
Aidan Hutchinson says rookie season was ‘just a little appetizer'
On Thursday, Hutchinson spoke to Tim Twentyman of Detroitlions.com on radio row at the Super Bowl, and he talked about how he is going to take things to another level in 2023.
“That was just a little appetizer,” Hutchinson said. “That's how I view it. A little appetizer. That was me being a rookie and not quite knowing – especially early in the year – not quite knowing the NFL and how things go and stuff like that. You give me this whole offseason of training, I'm going to take off to a new level.
“Being able to produce in all aspects of the game, which I did this year, it was frickin awesome. Man, it was so cool. Catching interceptions. I've got all the balls at the house right now. I love it all, dude.”
Big Picture
Hutchinson had a solid rookie season in Detroit, but he knows that he has to keep getting better and that he has to raise his game to another level in 2023 and beyond. The great thing about Hutchinson is not only that he has amazing physical talent, but that he is never satisfied with his accomplishments and he always wants to get better. If he does take another step forward, Hutch is going to be a major problem for opposing offenses.
