Aidan Hutchinson’s 2024 season was cut short due to a season-ending leg injury suffered in Week 6.
Before his injury, the Detroit Lions pass rusher was on pace for a historic season and could’ve won the AP Defensive Player of the Year award. Hutchinson totaled 7.5 sacks and 45 quarterback pressures in five games last year.
Though Hutchinson missed out on winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2024, as Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II took home the award, Bleacher Report’s Brent Sobleski lists Hutchinson as a top candidate to win the prestigious honor in 2025.
“A fully healthy Hutchinson for the entire 2025 season may see him claim some personal hardware. Patrick Surtain II won Defensive Player of the Year in his fourth season. Coincidentally, Hutchinson is now entering his fourth year after being the second overall draft pick in 2022,” Sobleski wrote.
When healthy, there aren’t many edge rushers in football more impactful than Hutchinson. In his last fully healthy season in 2023, the Michigan product tallied 11.5 sacks and 101 quarterback pressures.
If Hutchinson can stay healthy for the entire 17-game slate, the 24-year-old should post a career year and put himself in a position to earn his first DPOY in 2025. Detroit will need elite-level play from their superstar pass rusher, as the rest of the edge rusher room is lackluster.
Additionally, Hutchinson is eligible for a contract extension. If the Lions decide to wait another year before extending him, the 2022 No.2 overall pick will have some extra motivation to post a dominant 2025 campaign.
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