The Detroit Lions officially placed star tight end Aidan Hutchinson on the injured list on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old running back, who suffered a leg injury during the Lions’ 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, will be out for the rest of the season as he recovers from tibia and fibula injuries.
Hutchinson was carted off the field in the third quarter of Sunday’s game, and underwent surgery at Baylor White Medical Center before returning to Detroit. On Monday, head coach Dan Campbell confirmed, “The surgery went well – it’s all good news.”
Campbell also shared that even though the big man is out for a while, it doesn’t completely write off Hutchinson’s 2024 season.
“Maybe 4-6 months, but I would never count Hutch out. It hurts, but if anyone can give back, it’s him,” Campbell said.
Hutchinson entered the game as the NFL leader in sacks with 6.5. Even if he could return in January for the playoffs, the Lions must find a way to replace his pass rusher before then. The easy answer is a trade for someone like Raiders star Maxx Crosby, but Campbell doesn’t expect general manager Brad Holmes to rush into anything.
“(Injuries) come up every year, and Brad is always looking for ways to get better,” he said. “Can anyone help us? At what cost? It has to be right – everything has to be right. In fact, I believe in the guys who are there.
“We are looking and checking.”
Chase Daniel, co-producer of “The Facility,” believes fellow Detroit D-lineman Alim McNeil can ease some of the pain for the Lions, calling him a “star in the making” after watching him go toe-to-toe. against Cowboys All-Pro guard Zack Martin.
Meanwhile, New York Jets catcher Hasson Reddick has also been tabbed as a solution to help fill the Lions’ new gap, as he was granted a trade waiver on Tuesday.
The Lions are sitting at No. 2 in the NFC North with a 4-1 record, and according to FOX NFL reporter Dave Helman, despite Hutchinson’s injury, Detroit fans should feel good.
“It’s not a long list of teams that you feel better about than the Detroit Lions,” Helman said.
The Lions will have their hands full on Sunday as they face NFC North foes, the Minnesota Vikings 5-0. Kickoff is at 1pm ET and will air on FOX.
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The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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