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Eric Woodyard, ESPNOct 14, 2024, 05:13 PM ET
- Eric Woodyard covers the Detroit Lions for ESPN. He joined ESPN in September 2019 as an NBA reporter dedicated to the Midwest region before switching to his current role in April 2021. The Flint, Mich. native is a graduate of Western Michigan University and has authored/co-authored three books: “Wasted, Ethan’s Talent Search” and “All In: The Kelvin Torbert Story”. He is a proud parent of one son, Ethan. You can follow him on Twitter: @E_Woodyard
ALLEN PARK, Mich. — If there’s one thing that Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell says he has learned about Aidan Hutchinson, it’s not to bet against him.
Campbell anticipates a four- to six-month recovery process for the Lions’ star edge rusher after he underwent surgery to repair his fractured tibia and fibula, but the coach refuses to call it a season-ending injury.
“I would never count Hutch out. Ever,” Campbell said. “So, probably a long road, but I would never count him out and I would say if anybody can make it back, it’d be him.”
Campbell said Hutchinson’s surgery went great Sunday night at Baylor White Medical Center in Irving, Texas.
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During Sunday’s 47-9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium, Hutchinson injured his left leg on a play in which he was sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
While pulling down Prescott, Hutchinson’s leg appeared to snap above the ankle when it hit the left leg of teammate Alim McNeill. He was carted off the field. Throughout the recovery process, Campbell said it might help that Hutchinson has faith in returning this season.
“Just knowing Hutch — he’s got one of those rare … once he believes in it, he can will himself to find a way to get back,” Campbell said. “He’s one of those guys — the mind can heal the body, and he’ll find the next best thing and do whatever it takes to get back.”
“So, who knows? But yeah, I think it’s huge,” he continued. “You know it’s just sitting right out there, ‘I can do this, I can get back. We’ll be in a position to where I’ll be able to come back and help.’ And I do, I think it’s huge.”
Without Hutchinson, Campbell is confident the Lions are still capable of winning a Super Bowl with the players they have. Moving forward, he has faith in defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn and his ability to get the most production out of the players on the roster, such as defensive linemen McNeill, Josh Paschal, Levi Onwuzurike, DJ Reader and Isaac Ukwu.
McNeill said he told Hutchinson that he has his back, despite seeing the gruesome injury up close.
“That’s a huge piece that went down so we’re just going to have to step up and make plays and make up for it,” McNeill said after Sunday’s win. “So, we’ve just got to do that. There’s no blueprint to it, we’ve just got to step up and make plays.”
Lions general manager Brad Holmes could also consider making an outside addition for more help. Campbell said they’re not in a hurry, though, because of his faith in the defensive line, although they are currently looking and evaluating talent.
“My job is to coach what’s here and I’m going to coach the hell out of them and we are as a staff and so yeah, I do,” Campbell said. “And if we get somebody, great, and if we don’t, these are our guys, and the coaches know that. This is what we came into camp with, this is why we develop talent and it’s next man up. They’ve got to be ready to go.”
Teammates, such as rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold, continue to support Hutchinson. Arnold wrote on X that “the rest of this season is for you bro we got you… Heal up fast #97.”
The rest of this season is for you bro we got you… Heal up fast️ #97 pic.twitter.com/w2hngWEdl9
— Terrion Arnold (@ArnoldTerrion) October 14, 2024
Hutchinson’s injury was a huge blow to the locker room, even after handing Dallas one of its worst home losses in team history.
“It’s tough, but what are you going to do?” Onwuzurike said. “Your boy just went out and now you’ve got to play for him so in a way that gives us motivation.”
Hutchinson was one of the early favorites to win the Defensive Player of the Year Award before his injury. Entering Week 6, he also led the NFL in sacks, pressures and pass rush win rate, even with the Lions coming off their bye week to play in Dallas.
Campbell said he won’t allow his team to think negatively as their team goal — to with the Super Bowl — is still in place.
“Everything’s on the table, but man, we’re not panicked,” Campbell said. “Brad and I are not panicked. And this team’s not panicked. It’s next man up and if we have an area, we need some help then we’ve [got] to help each other out a little bit here and we may have to play a little bit different and that’s OK.”
