Hutchinson suited up for just five and a half games for the Lions last season before fracturing his leg in Week 6 at Dallas, which sidelined him for the remainder of the year. At that point, he led the NFL in sacks (7.5) and pressures (45), emerging as the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year honors.

Nearly a full year later, Hutchinson is back with another dominant start to the 2025 campaign. Once again, he’s among the early favorites for Defensive Player of the Year and is also in strong contention for Comeback Player of the Year.

Through Detroit’s opening five games, Hutchinson is tied with Kansas City’s George Karlaftis for the league lead in total pressures (31). His 5.0 sacks rank third behind Nik Bonitto (7.0) and Byron Young (5.5). He also sits third in quarterback hits (12) and fifth in pass-rush win rate (25.4 percent). His three forced fumbles trail only Joey Bosa’s four.

“The number of things he does for us against both the run and the pass — man, he picks up a ton of slack,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday. “You talk about pulling your weight — he pulls his and then some. Offenses have to dedicate a lot of resources to him, which helps everyone else around him.”

Hutchinson has logged a sack in four consecutive games, tying the franchise record, and will try to break it Sunday night when he faces Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City.

“I really view this season like a marathon and I’m taking it week by week,” Hutchinson said Thursday. “I’m putting all my preparation into each game, then seeing how it plays out and starting over again. That’s my mindset. We’ll keep building and improving — the small details add up over time.”

Hutchinson’s production underscores his value as the Lions’ most impactful defensive player, both for his play and the attention he commands from opposing offenses.

“He’s a complete football player — he does everything,” Campbell said. “He’s disruptive, violent, high-motor, smart, explosive, tough, and ultra-competitive. He does it all.”

ARNOLD UPDATE

When Campbell addressed reporters Monday after Detroit’s win in Cincinnati — a game where second-year cornerback Terrion Arnold exited with a shoulder injury — he said the outlook wasn’t good and expected Arnold to miss “a long time.”

However, after getting multiple medical opinions this week, the feedback was more optimistic.

“The second opinion came back and it sounds more promising, though there’s no guarantee,” Campbell said Wednesday. “We’re in a bit of a wait-and-see mode and holding off for now to monitor his progress.”

Campbell confirmed Arnold won’t need surgery, calling that “good news.” The team plans to reduce inflammation in the shoulder, rebuild strength, and then reassess his status.

ROBERTSON’S ROLE

With D.J. Reed on injured reserve and Arnold sidelined indefinitely, veteran Amik Robertson’s importance in the secondary grows even more. The versatile corner, who can play both nickel and outside, is one of Detroit’s top man-coverage defenders. Campbell said Robertson’s toughness and competitiveness were big reasons the team prioritized signing him in 2024 free agency. Detroit’s secondary faces a major challenge this week against Patrick Mahomes and a Kansas City passing attack ranked in the NFL’s top 10.

“We’re totally confident in him playing outside or inside,” Campbell said. “He’s one of those guys — thank goodness we brought him in because we don’t see a drop-off with Amik. He’ll go out there and battle. We’re not worried about him.”

QUOTE OF THE DAY

Campbell on disguising coverages versus Mahomes:

“First off, that guy can sniff out a rat from a mile away. If you’re going to disguise something, it better be Oscar-worthy. He sees everything and senses it instantly.”

The Lions also placed cornerback Khalil Dorsey on injured reserve, promoted offensive lineman Dan Skipper from the practice squad to the active roster, and added veteran cornerback Arthur Maulet to the practice squad.