The football Gods robbed everyone of what could have been when Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson went down with a fractured left tibia and fibula in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys. He has played a shade more than four and half games, but he's tied for the fifth-most sacks in the league (7.5), and he's fifth in the league with 45 pressures (according to Pro Football Focus) as the rest of the Week 11 slate beckons.
After the presumed season-ending injury and subsequent surgery, we've saw multiple reports suggesting Hutchinson could return for the Super Bowl if the Lions get there.
The day after the injury head coach Dan Campbell said, "I would never count Hutch out, ever. So, yeah, probably a long road, but I would never count him out. I would say if anybody could make it back, it'd be him."
After Detroit's win over the Minnesota Vikings in Week 7, one week after he was injured, Hutchinson offered an early update on his situation via social media.
An update from Aidan Hutchinson himselfπ₯Ή#OnePride pic.twitter.com/PSMzKeStuy
β ππ₯π’ ππ’π±π―π¬π¦π± ππ¦πͺπ’π° π° (@the_det_times) October 20, 2024
"Whatβs up yβall? We are one week out from surgery,β Hutchinson said. βThe first days were a little rough, but now we are on the road to recovery and just attacking each day. And I want to thank all the kids, who made me the videos. I want to thank all my teammates, all the fans, all the support all over social media. Itβs been amazing. And Iβm doing great, just pushing through."
Aidan Hutchinson updates his rehab progress
On Saturday, Hutchinson posted a video on social media with the caption "One step at a time." He is in a pool doing aquatic work, a little more than a month removed from his major injury.
#Lions Aidan Hutchinson posted a video of his rehab today of his Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/pTyajZKUbc
β Kory Woods (@KoryEWoods) November 16, 2024
Hutchinson has a long road ahead, with a 4-to-6 month recovery timetable. The Super Bowl in February will be almost exactly four months out from his injury, and if he's going to make a recovery on the fast end of that timetable the overall circumstance of the injury lined him up well to accomplish it. Based on the video he posted Saturday, he's on an early track to make that fast recovery.