Lions’ Hendon Hooker Takes Big Step in Injury Recovery

Head coach Dan Campbell has set expectations low for Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker’s first season in the NFL. Hooker tore his left ACL in the final month of his college career.

But early in the team’s minicamp, Hooker took a significant step in his rehab process.

After practice on June 6, Hooker threw passes on the field to teammates for the first time in his NFL career.

“I felt pretty good,” Hooker told The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett. “I’m excited.”

“All day it was on my mind. I’m thinking like, ‘I wonder how I’ll throw it today.’ But I felt pretty good. Missed one ball to end it out, but it felt good.

“I felt I put the ball where I wanted to. As soon as my feet can match my thought process then (it will be even better). Really, they’re just not moving as fast I want them to.”

Furthermore, Hooker described his recovery process from the ACL tear “way ahead of schedule.”

Lions’ Hendon Hooker Throws on Field For First Time Since Injury

Hooker was on the field for the first time on June 6, but he explained in May that he was ready and hungry to compete.

“You never stay the same. You either get better of get worse,” Hooker said at the team’s rookie minicamp. “I don’t want to have any decline in my game.

“I’m continuing to work my tail off, day-to-day, mental reps, taking reps behind the quarterbacks that are in, and just playing the game in my mind until I can actually get out there.”

The Lions drafted Hooker at No. 68 overall in the third round this spring. Regardless of injury, quarterbacks selected in that round don’t typical compete for starting roles during their first season.

But third-round quarterback do arrive in the league with the expectation that they will eventually push for the starting job.

That leaves Lions current starting quarterback Jared Goff in an interesting spot heading into 2023. Campbell implied Goff was playing the best football of his career when he spoke to the media on June 6.

Rumors have swirled that the Lions are interested in signing Goff to a contract extension. In May, general manager Brad Holmes said the negotiations were “in a good place,” but no new deal appears imminent.

Goff has two years remaining on his current contract.

Hooker Still Faces Long Recovery Process

Throwing on the field for the first time is obviously a big step for Hooker. But while appearing on the “Green Light with Chris Long” podcast, Campbell called Hooker’s first NFL season “a redshirt year.”

The Lions will open their training camp around the nine-month mark of Hooker’s recovery. NFL players have returned to the field from ACL tears in that time frame, but that’s on the lower end of the typical 9-12 month recovery timeframe.

“That’s very fast,” Hooker told Birkett when discussing the possibility of getting back for the start of training camp. “Especially since other guys with the same injury, they’re nine months [before they return].”

In addition to Hooker, the Lions have veteran Nate Sudfield on their quarterback depth chart behind Goff. Detroit re-signed Sudfield before drafting Hooker, but still, the veteran’s presence will give Hooker no need to rush back from injury.

Sudfield will likely serve as the team’s backup quarterback throughout the 2023 season. With the new NFL quarterback rule, Hooker could be active on game days once healthy, but as Detroit’s No. 3 signal caller.

Hooker getting back on the field is a great sign, but it hasn’t appeared to change the previous 2023 expectations around the quarterback.