The Detroit Lions are one win away from their second consecutive appearance in the NFC championship game. With a win over the Washington Commanders in the divisional round, the Lions would host the conference championship game for the first time since the AFL-NFL merger.
Detroit’s reached this point in the playoffs behind one of the best offenses in the league as well as a top-10 scoring defense. Their defense has reached that level despite playing most of the season without one of its best players, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson.
Hutchinson suffered a broken tibia and fibula on the road against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 13. His leg slammed into teammate Alim McNeill while going for a sack on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
‘All I remember thinking is just, one, I’m not gonna be able to play in the Super Bowl,’ Hutchinson said on ‘The Squeeze’ podcast on Dec. 18. ‘And two, this season, I was on this defensive-player-of-the-year track. Everything got ripped away from me.’
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Hutchinson was initially ruled out for the season but could potentially see the field in the postseason. Here’s the latest on his status.
Will Aidan Hutchinson play in the Super Bowl?
The Lions initially put his recovery timeline at 4-6 months after surgery. Hutchinson underwent surgery the day after the Lions’ 47-9 win over the Cowboys. That timetable puts his earliest return date at Feb. 13, four days after Super Bowl 59 in New Orleans.
Lions coach Dan Campbell acknowledged the timeline but stated he would leave the door open for Hutchinson’s return in Super Bowl if the team made it that far.
‘I would never count Hutch out. Ever.’ Campbell said. ‘Long road, but I would never count him out. If anyone can make it back, it’s him.’
Hutchinson said he did not suffer any ligament damage with the injury which could simplify his recovery. But it still takes time.
‘In the past, four to six months has been the normal timeline,’ Dr. Christopher Cooke, an orthopedic surgeon and chief of sports medicine at the Detroit Medical Center, told the Free Press. ‘Advances in technology, both surgically and with physical therapy, healing has slowly sped up this timeline…
In the literature, the earliest return to play to date is approximately 12 weeks or three months.’
Campbell has not ruled out Hutchinson returning for the Super Bowl and the Lions have not put out any other statements regarding his availability.
Hutchinson seems more convinced.
‘I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, you guys just got to get there (Super Bowl 59) and I promise you I’m going to be back,’ Hutchinson said on ‘The Squeeze’ podcast.
Aidan Hutchinson stats
Hutchinson’s become one of the better pass rushers in the NFL since going No. 2 overall to Detroit in the 2022 NFL draft. He made his first Pro Bowl in 2023 and was on pace for an impressive season in 2024 before injury.
2022 (17 games): 52 tackles, 9.5 sacks, three passes defensed, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries
2023 (17 games): 51 tackles, 11.5 sacks, seven passes defensed, one interception, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries
2024 (5 games): 19 tackles, 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble
NFC playoff bracket
Divisional round
Saturday, Jan. 18:No. 1 seed Detroit Lions vs. No. 6 seed Washington Commanders, 8 p.m. ET
Sunday, Jan. 19:No. 2 seed Philadelphia Eagles vs. No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams, 3 p.m. ET
Conference championship
Sunday, Jan. 26: Divisional round winners face off and higher remaining seed hosts, 3 p.m. ET
Lions DE depth chart
Prior to the season, Detroit already lost defensive ends Marcus Davenport and John Cominsky to a torn triceps and torn MCL injuries, respectively. Hutchinson’s injury made it three of the team’s top edge rushers sidelined with injury.
The Lions traded for veteran pass rusher Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns ahead of the trade deadline to bolster the position.
Here’s how the depth chart at defensive end looks ahead of their game against Washington:
Za’Darius Smith
Josh Paschal
Al-Quadin Muhammad
Trevor Nowaske
Mitchell Agude
Jonah Williams
The Lions also have rookie defensive end Isaac Ukwu signed to the practice squad.