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00:00And in Detroit, Aiden Hutchinson making his way back to the turf as well.
00:05A significant leg injury last year that shortened his season after only five full games,
00:11which of course was a huge story for the Lions all year long.
00:16The significant and devastating injuries, namely defensively,
00:19that was too much for Detroit to overcome in that divisional round game against the Commanders.
00:24But good news, early in the offseason in the Motor City,
00:28Aiden Hutchinson has been cleared to resume football activities.
00:32Let's hear from Hutch himself.
00:34I got cleared a while back and now I'm just, I'm rolling with the boys now.
00:40And it feels like, it feels like I'm back to being myself again.
00:44And yeah, I'm really looking forward to the season.
00:48I'm looking forward to, I mean, I think this is the most excited I've been for OTAs in my life.
00:53This is the biggest hiatus I've had without playing ball.
00:56So I am, I'm pumped.
01:01Sensational early on DRS in his year and a half in the National Football League.
01:05Aiden Hutchinson excited for year number three.
01:08And obviously if he can remain healthy, a fearsome pass rusher,
01:11that does a lot to elevate Detroit status.
01:14It was a monster last year before he got injured.
01:17Like who knows how many sacks he would actually put up in the season.
01:20Fantastic.
01:20Got a high motor, but also say this, like we saw the videos coming out, Ben.
01:25And to me, it's like, hey man, Hutch is coming back.
01:27Dude looked like he couldn't run.
01:28Like I know what they're posting.
01:29I'm getting closer.
01:31And even the latest video, like, oh, Hutch looks good.
01:33Does he look good?
01:34Like they're posting like Nick Chubb videos.
01:35Hey, look at how hard he's working out.
01:37Guy looks like he's dragging his leg behind him.
01:40I hope all the best for Hutchinson because that guy is an absolute menace.
01:43But from what I've seen so far, it don't look like he's back yet.
01:46Now we are talking in May.
01:48Still got June and July and August till September.
01:51Maybe that leg gets even better.
01:52But I was looking at the workouts that he was doing.
01:55Like, yeah, he's running.
01:57But my goodness, he is laboring with that leg.
02:00Three years in the NFL.
02:02My apology.
02:02About to be year number four for Aiden Hutchinson during week six last year.
02:07That significant leg injury fractured both his tibia and his fibula.
02:12Basically the two large bones that anchor the entirety of your ankle throughout your knee,
02:18even to the upper thigh.
02:19So when you fracture both in the way that Aiden Hutchinson did,
02:22thus a serious injury and a long recovery.
02:26The fact he has already been cleared.
02:27Great.
02:28But of course, still going to build that up DRS as he gets ready for 2025.
02:32And to Donnie's point, only five full games last year for the Lions.
02:37Had seven and a half sacks in those first five games.
02:41He was on an absolute heater and a tear to start the year for the Lions.
02:46And Donnie, Detroit is a fascinating team to me.
02:49Once again, entering 2025.
02:52Because largely, the cast and crew remains the same.
02:56In some of those injuries they had last year, if they can be healthy this year,
03:01that's a huge and significant bump for Detroit.
03:04Not just Aiden Hutchinson, Aleem McNeil, on the interior of that defensive line as well.
03:11But when you look at the Lions and their win total of 10 and a half this year, that's great.
03:15The under has the juice, the second best price to win the NFC,
03:20only behind the reigning champs in the Philadelphia Eagles.
03:22It does feel as though there is not nearly as much optimism as there should be
03:27for a 15-2 football team a season ago.
03:32And part of that, of course, is because of the turnover in their coordinators.
03:36Ben Johnson, the head coach in Chicago.
03:38Aaron Glenn, the head coach in New York.
03:40Yeah, the brawn is still with the organization.
03:44The brains, they're gone.
03:45Offensively, maybe the best offensive coordinator in football.
03:48Innovative is all get out.
03:50You're not going to replace that.
03:51And you had a defensive coordinator that really had to –
03:53look, he was playing with two hands tied behind his back
03:55with all the injuries that they had, and it completely fell apart in the playoffs.
03:59But now let's see what Dan Campbell can do,
04:01because I know he has the ear of that football team.
04:03He brought Detroit football back.
04:05That's fantastic.
04:06But now it's up to him to resurrect that offense and defense here
04:09with two new voices in the locker room.
04:12That's always tough to do.
04:13Hey, remember when the Philadelphia Eagles should have beat the Kansas City Chiefs
04:16in the Super Bowl, lose a couple coordinators here?
04:18What do we do the next year?
04:18We're completely fall apart because a lot of the brains have left the organization.
04:22We're not knocking and saying they can't win or can't win 11 games
04:25or make a run to an NFC championship game or even win a Super Bowl.
04:28But that's why we're a little bit down on them,
04:30because Ben Johnson was dialing up bangers every single week,
04:35every single drive.
04:36That's not there.
04:37You can't replicate it.
04:38I don't care if you have the same offensive personnel.