Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson is expected to miss the remainder of the NFL season following a broken tibia sustained during the team’s decisive 47-9 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Hutchinson suffered the injury in the third quarter while executing a sack on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. A collision with teammate Alim McNeill led to Hutchinson being carted off the field and transported to a Dallas hospital, where he underwent surgery.
In a post-game statement, Lions head coach Dan Campbell expressed concern for Hutchinson, stating, “It’s tough. He’s in good hands right now. Obviously, he’s going to be down for a little while. That’s tough. It’s hard to lose someone like him, but we’ll know more after this and obviously wish him the best.”
The 24-year-old had been enjoying an impressive season, recording 7.5 sacks and emerging as a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
The injury prompted a 10-minute delay as medical personnel attended to Hutchinson, with players from both teams forming a circle around him in a show of support. Campbell remarked on the emotional impact of the situation, emphasizing the importance of maintaining focus: “If you dwell on that too much and start playing timid, that’s when you get hurt.”
Prescott, who inadvertently landed on Hutchinson’s leg during the play, has experienced a similar injury in the past. He expressed his intention to reach out to Hutchinson in the aftermath of the incident, saying, “It’s just something that I felt in the moment.”
As the Lions move forward, they will have to navigate the rest of the season without one of their best defensive players.
