Detroit Lions’ new defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard says Aidan Hutchinson’s return from a devastating 2024 injury has actually elevated his game.

Hutchinson suffered a fractured tibia and fibula in his left leg during Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys, ending his season. The injury took one of the league’s top pass-rushers off the field. He had already totaled 7.5 sacks before going down.

Sheppard believes that setback helped shape a stronger version of Hutchinson.

“I’m not talking stats or numbers right now. What I see is a better player than last year,” Sheppard said. “And you might go, ‘What?’ That’s exactly how I felt watching him. I was like, ‘Whoa.’”

Sheppard has coached in Detroit’s defense since 2021 and has followed Hutchinson’s rise since being drafted second overall in 2022. This year, he was promoted from linebackers coach to coordinator after Aaron Glenn left to coach the New York Jets.

With Detroit’s strong core intact, a fully healthy Hutchinson could take their defense to another level in 2025.