Lions DE Aidan Hutchinson gives massive injury update ahead of 2025 NFL season

Detroit Lions franchise defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has made a full recovery from his leg injury and is ready to dominate defenses in 2025. The Michigan standout made the announcement of his full medical clearance on Thursday. This marks the culmination of a long rehabilitation process that started after his horrific Week 6 injury against the Dallas Cowboys.

Hutchinson, who paced the NFL with sacks before suffering a break in both bones in his lower leg, has been the anchor for Detroit's defense since he was drafted second overall in 2022. The 24-year-old defensive end was having a Defensive Player of the Year season before the injury ruined his breakout year.

Hutchinson addressed the media at the Allen Park practice facility for the first time since his injury, saying he's "fully cleared."

"I got cleared a while back, and now I'm just rolling with the boys," Hutchinson said. "It feels like I'm back to being myself again."

Aidan Hutchinson will be a full participant when the Lions start their organized team activities next week. His return arrives at an important juncture for Detroit, which took a discouraging divisional round playoff defeat to Washington following its injury-plagued defense's surrender of 45 points.

Aidan Hutchinson to keep seeking "greater heights"

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Aidan Hutchinson projected lofty objectives for his 2025 season, eliminating any thought that his strong start to the season is his ceiling.

He totaled 7.5 sacks through only five games. That level included an otherworldly 4.5-sack outing vs. Tampa Bay in Week 2 that introduced him as an All-Pro-level pass rusher.

"I think a lot of people believe that is kind of like my ceiling, but I believe that I'm going to continue to push for those greater heights," Hutchinson said.

The injury occurred during a critical stretch for both Aidan Hutchinson and the Lions. Despite missing 12 games, he still finished as Detroit's sack leader for the entire 2024 season. His absence exposed the Lions' defensive depth issues, as the team lost multiple key defenders throughout the campaign, including Marcus Davenport, Alex Anzalone and Carlton Davis.

Hutchinson's rehabilitation schedule took four to six months, during which he posted updates on social media. The former Wolverine even teased a possible Super Bowl return had Detroit made it that far, although he admitted that opportunity would be hypothetical.

The financial stakes of Hutchinson's return are higher than in the field. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports that his successful return could set him up for a record-setting contract extension. Myles Garrett presently holds the defensive end pay record with $40 million a year, but Hutchinson may top that with a five-year contract worth potentially $202 million, as per Sporting News.