New season, new captains. The Detroit Lions recently announced their new defensive captains, including two first-time captains. The undisputed leader of the defense, Aidan Hutchinson, is set to return as a captain, while linebacker Jack Campbell and the defensive tackle Alim McNeill will take up their roles as first-time captains this season.
With new responsibilities on the shoulders of new defenders, Hutchinson was recently asked for his take on his co-captains, as their collective efforts could bring more stability to the defense—an area where the franchise struggled last season.
“Jack (Campbell) is Mr. Consistent; he is out there every day and communicating with those DBs,” said the pass rusher about Jack Campbell. “He is, I feel like, the D-Line; we have our own bubble and the back seven has their own bubble too.”
“Since Anzo (Alex Anzalone) is out of here and onto Tampa now, Jack’s the guy that everyone looks to in the LB room.” Hutchinson further added about the linebacker.
Jack Campbell secured his maiden Pro Bowl selection last year after a brilliant breakout year, and heading into the new campaign, he is set to lead the LB room. Last year, the Lions had two defensive captains in Aidan Hutchinson and Alex Anzalone, but the latter has now moved to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, creating a new opportunity for Campbell.
Besides the young LB, Hutchinson is also excited about Alim McNeill being named captain of the unit.
Aidan Hutchinson Sees A Different Alim McNeill This Season
Alim McNeill suffered a major setback in Week 15 of the 2024 season when he was sidelined for the season because of an ACL injury. It took him almost a year to recover, as he missed the early part of the 2025 campaign after being on the PUP list. He featured in 10 games and was far from his usual best.
After putting in the work all offseason, the 26-year-old looks ready to be back in form, as Dan Campbell and the franchise expect. With a bigger role as a captain, Hutchinson anticipates a productive season from his teammate.
“Everything I’ve seen, he(Alim McNeill) feels and looks back to normal,” said Hutchinson in the interview with the reporters. “You can see his confidence is there, like every day showing up to the camp.”
Similar to McNeill, the star edge rusher also suffered a season-ending leg injury in 2024, but he bounced back with a Pro Bowl 2025 season and led the Lions defense from the front. Dan Campbell will be counting on him to be the engine of the defense yet again. Other than the three defensive captains, the franchise also announced four other captains for the season.
Lions’ Other Captains For The 2026 Season
The franchise quarterback Jared Goff is the ultimate leader of the team. Going into his sixth season in the Motor City, he will be wearing the captain’s ‘C’ yet again. The four-time Pro Bowler and star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will be another offensive captain, as he has been tasked with the role for four consecutive seasons.
The offensive tackle Penei Sewell will be the third captain of the Lions offense. The All-Pro is ready to serve as a captain for his fourth consecutive campaign since 2023. The final piece of the Lions’ captaincy puzzle belongs to the punter Jack Fox, who will be the captain of the special teams, taking on the responsibility for the first time.
Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson Weighs In on Team’s New Defensive Captains