It's been a while since the Detroit Lions have had a quarterback with the type of tools Hendon Hooker brings to the table, and they were on full display during Saturday's game against the Chiefs.
The Lions don't come back to beat the Kansas City Chiefs 24-23 without Hooker. His poise and ability to extend the play were impressive in the second half, and even though he made a few mistakes
Going 12-for-15 for 150 yards, and 12-for-13 after missing on his first two passes, Hooker's accuracy was impressive. He also had a touchdown run in the fourth quarter, showing off a skill a Lions' quarterback hasn't had in quite a while.
Hendon Hooker keeps it for the score 🙌#DETvsKC | 📺 Lions TV Network pic.twitter.com/hor0mVtTWO
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 17, 2024
With the game on the line late, Hooker had a fumble on a botched handoff in the red zone. But he bounced back and led the Lions on a short drive to set up the game-winning field goal by Jake Bates.
Dan Campbell impressed with Hendon Hooker's ability to bounce back
There is a certain level of mental toughness required to play quarterback, and having a short memory is a key part.
On that note, head coach Dan Campbell was impressed with Hooker's performance against the Chiefs.
"It's all-encompassing. It's the experience of it. Not only just running the show, but the ebbs and flows. The big part of this is the mistakes he's making and having to come back in. Or, the next play, he's got to put the last one behind him or put the last drive behind him (if it) wasn't good. Ultimately, the drive before the winner, we mess some things up. He made a few errors. More than a few. But then he comes back the last drive, he's got to put it behind (him) and he cleans it up. He moves the football, learns from it and that was excellent. Every time he gets a chance to take the reps and grow from it, we're going to be better off. He's going to be better off."
After leading a comeback win, Hooker should be filled with confidence heading into the final preseason game. He even slid at the end of a run once, proving he learned his most valuable lesson from the preseason opener.