EDGE Aidan Hutchinson did not miss a beat in his 2025 return, and bigger things may be in store for him in 2026.
No Detroit Lions player has ever won Defensive Player of the Year. At least the AP News or Pro Football Writers of America version. Safety Kerby Joseph did win the 101 Awards version in 2024. Aside from that, it's a major award that has alluded the Lions for decades.
Hutchinson is among the top DPOY favorites entering the 2026. Of course, Los Angeles Rams' EDGE Myles Garrett is the frequent betting favorite, and it's easy to see why. He's won the award twice, and he'll have the returning multi-time DPOY winner Aaron Donald alongside him.
But Hutchinson isn't too far behind in odds, and analysts are predicting a huge season out of him. Even if we ignore the existence of voter fatigue and assuming every award contender has a healthy season, there's plenty of reasons to believe this can be Hutchinson's year.
Why Aidan Hutchinson can win DPOY in 2026
He's had a complete offseason
The biggest difference between Hutchinson now and Hutchinson a year ago is his health. A year ago, Hutchinson was coming back from missing most of the 2024 season with a broken leg. Now, he's coming off of a healthy 17-game season.
It takes time to get back into full football shape after a season-ending injury. A broken leg may not be as severe as an ACL tear, but there's still a lengthy recovery and rehab process. But watching Hutchinson last season, you'd be forgiven if you forgot he was hurt for most of 2024. Hutchinson racked up 14.5 sacks and picking up a top-five DPOY finish.
Hutchinson has had a full, complete, and normal offseason and camp. No need to worry about rust or anything like that. Whatever time he may have spent recovering or rehabbing in 2025 has been spent perfecting his craft and taking his game to a new level in 2026.
The D-line has looked better
No, the Lions did not aggressively acquire an elite pass rushing partner for Hutchinson. But that didn't mean the Lions did nothing.
EDGE rushers D.J. Wonnum, Ahmed Hassanein, and rookie Derrick Moore each picked up at least one sack in the preseason, combining for four. Wonnum and Hassanein each recorded a sack on the opposing team's first drive of the game, with opposing starters, including their quarterbacks, on the field. Hutchinson has yet to play game with any of those three opposite of him.
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The interior of the defensive line has looked fantastic as well. Much like Hutchinson, defensive tackle and captain Alim McNeill has had a full offseason after tearing his ACL late in the 2024 season. Presumably back up to speed after a sluggish return in 2025, McNeill will look to resume is All-Pro level play from 2024. Tyleik Williams is no longer a rookie, while rookie Skyler Gill-Howard has been an absolute bullet train in the preseason.
The Lions may not have traded for Maxx Crosby, but if the preseason is any indication, this could be the best D-line Hutchinson has had to work with.
He's only going to get better
It almost goes without saying, but Hutchinson has only just turned 26. Like the Lions' roster as a whole, he's still young. Theoretically, he has yet to enter his prime.
We do not know what that prime could look like, or when we'll see it. But it's tough to imagine Hutchinson not getting better from here, and for a guy who had an elite 91.7 grade on Pro Football Focus last season after missing most of the previous season, there isn't much room that separates 2025 Hutchinson and a DPOY-worthy season.
Hutchinson's potential DPOY season kicks off when the Lions play the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, September 13th.
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