After a couple of insane seasons, Aidan Hutchinson was absolutely on fire in 2024, looking like a legit Defensive Player of the Year contender. Through week 6, the guy had 30 QB pressures, tying him for fourth in the league, and his 7.5 sacks were tops in the NFL. Then, of course, the week 6 game against the Cowboys happened, and Hutch’s season hit a brutal pause with a nasty leg injury in the third quarter (broke his tibia and fibula).
Fast forward to 2025 training camp, and Hutch is back, and let’s just say that he’s got the same vibe. Jared Goff? Yeah, he’s all in, calling Hutch a “monster” and saying he’s been “flying” around on the field early in camp. “Looks great. I’m excited about what he can do,” Goff added, clearly pumped up about what’s coming. And Goff’s recent statement confirmed that the Lions‘ QB wasn’t just excited about what Hutch could do.
In fact, Hutchinson is now giving Aaron Donald’s vibes and has already wrecked the Lions’ practice a couple of times. “It’s like Aaron Donald back in the day,” Goff admitted on the 97.1 The Ticket, addressing Hutchinson. “He’s a guy who can ruin a game. He certainly ruins practice for us a couple times offensively, and I’m so happy he’s on our side, and I don’t have to play against him.”
Jared Goff on his new OC, Frank Ragnow’s Retirement And How Much Better The Defense Is pic.twitter.com/tYghSdRDVZ
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) August 11, 2025
If there’s one thing that’s famous in the Lions’ defense, then it’s the Hutch rule. And if the chatter carries weight, the fourth-year DE was so good at the training camp that Dan Campbell and Co. had to implement the Hutch rule (when Hutch beats his lineman and records a hypothetical sack). To spice it up, entering the 2025 season, the Lions have upgraded their pass rusher unit as well.
With Hutchinson back healthy for his fourth season, they’ve re-signed Marcus Davenport to complement him and also picked Ahmed Hassanein in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL draft. Last season was brutal for Hutchinson. But now, the Lions’ faithful can feel optimistic about the 25-year-old DE’s return. “Football has been feeling normal for a long time now,” Hutch said during the training camp.
“I would say first day of OTAs, I got kicked, stepped on, everything under the sun on this leg, and after practice I got up and I was like, ‘All right, we’re good.’ And I think it takes those physical things to happen to you to mentally kind of solidify where you’re at and the confidence and moving past it.” That said, Aidan Hutchinson will kick off his 2025 campaign on a positive note.
Meanwhile, Jared Goff also addressed Ben Johnson’s departure this offseason. And one could argue that the Lions are not paying any attention to Johnson’s absence in the 2025 season.
Jared Goff has nothing to say to the fans about Ben Johnson
“Everything will be fine.” That’s the mood in Detroit after losing Ben Johnson to the Bears this offseason. The Lions will not deny that Johnson is a great coach, and rightfully so. After all, the quarterback has earned a couple of Pro Bowl honors in the last three seasons under Johnson’s coaching. But deep down, Goff and the Lions seem to have moved on from their former offensive coordinator as they’re now preparing to face him twice a season.
Talking on 97.1 The Ticket, the quarterback straight-up said he’s got nothing to say to the fans making a fuss over Johnson not being in Detroit. “Well, I guess I don’t have anything to say to them,” Goff said. “We’ll have to find out, you know, we’ve got good players to fill in. We’ve got a good coach to fill in. Obviously, Ben’s a hell of a coach…”
Washington Commanders vs Detroit Lions DETROIT,MICHIGAN-January 18: Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff 16 is seen during the second half of an NFL, American Football Herren, USA Divisional Playoff game between the Washington Commanders and the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan USA, on Saturday, January 18, 2025. Detroit Michigan United States PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxFRA Copyright: xJorgexLemusx originalFilename:lemus-washingt250118_npkF4.jpg
“But that’s why we have, you know, training camp and all this time to get better and get ready, and certainly still have a lot of really good players on this team and everyone that’s been improving from last year.” The Bears brought Johnson as their new HC to work with second-year QB Caleb Williams. Meanwhile, the Lions hired John Morton to be their offensive coordinator for the 2025 season.
Earlier this month, Goff noted that he and Morton are already tossing around “creative ideas that are fun.” The Lions could look different at the beginning of the regular season, sure. But the way things are shaping up, and the way Goff is bonding with Morton, the Lions won’t miss Ben Johnson, considering most of their roster is returning for the season.
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