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Several current and former NFL stars showed their support for Aidan Hutchinson on social media after the Detroit Lions pass-rusher suffered an injury to his left leg during the team’s 47-9 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Micah Parsons, Tyreek Hill and J.J. Watt expressed sympathy for Hutchinson after he was carted off the field.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters after the game that Hutchinson suffered a fractured tibia and would be “down for a while.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the defensive end immediately underwent surgery at a Dallas hospital after leaving the game.
Hutchinson suffered the injury in the third quarter, as his leg appeared to collide with a teammate while attempting to make a tackle. He stayed down while the cart was brought out, with Lions players gathering around him.
Hutchinson was in the midst of another strong performance prior to the injury, recording three tackles and a sack.
After earning the first Pro Bowl nod of his career last season, the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft improved even further at the start of his 2024 campaign.
Hutchison racked up a league-leading 7.5 sacks to go along with 19 tackles and seven tackles for loss through five games. He also forced a fumble during Detroit’s Week 2 matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
It’ll be a tough blow to a Lions squad with playoff expectations if he’s forced to miss an extended period of time. He thrived during Detroit’s postseason run in 2023, totaling three sacks in three playoff games while the team reached the NFC Championship Game.
It’ll take a collective effort from the Lions’ front seven to replace his ability to pressure opposing signal-callers, with Alim McNeil and Levi Onwuzurike likely receiving the bulk of available snaps at defensive end.
Detroit improved to 4-1 after defeating Dallas on Sunday, but the team’s defense lost a key piece.
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