DETROIT – Aidan Hutchinson gave an update on his injury timeline and whether he can play if the Detroit Lions make the Super Bowl.
During an interview with Taylor Lautner, Hutchinson said he’s telling his teammates to just find a way to get there.
“I’m on track for my goal of returning for the Super Bowl, and so I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, I’m like, ‘You guys just got to get there, and I promise you, I’m going to be back,’” Hutchinson said. “I tell people that, and my mom was, like -- I remember we were talking yesterday, and she was, like, ‘But Aidan, what if you don’t get back? What if you can’t?’ I was, like, ‘There’s no other way.’”
The Lions desperately need some positive injury news, as four more players went down in the loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Alim McNeill, David Montgomery, and Khalil Dorsey are out for the season, while Carlton Davis is out at least six weeks, per reports.
Those four join a long list of still-injured Lions defenders: Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, and others.
Still, through all the adversity, the Lions are 12-2 and control their own destiny in the race for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They can lock up that critical first-round bye and home field advantage by winning their last three games against the Bears, 49ers, and Vikings.
Hutchinson was leading the NFL with 7.5 sacks through five games when he broke his leg while sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Even if he’s not at full strength, the Lions would certainly welcome his return anytime in the playoffs.
