Aidan Hutchinson opened the 2024 NFL season as a game-wrecker, quickly shooting up the odds as a serious contender to be the Defensive Player of the Year. Unfortunately, that all came to an end when the Detroit Lions star suffered a gruesome broken leg vs. the Dallas Cowboys.

That injury has only been compounded for the Lions by a string of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. A large contingent of Detroit’s starting defense remains injured, including Hutchinson, but the former Michigan star revealed he is in fact surprisingly close to a return.

According to Hutchinson, he will be back for the Super Bowl if the Lions can somehow withstand this barrage and make it through:

“I’m on track for my goal of returning for the Super Bowl. I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, you’ve just got to get there, and I promise you, I’m going to be back,” said Hutchinson. “And I tell people that, and my mom was like… ‘Aidan, what if you don’t get back, what if you can’t?’ I was like there’s no other way.”

Even with the rash of injuries, the Lions are still tied with the Philadelphia Eagles as the favorites to win the NFC at +230 via DraftKings. Detroit fans can use the best Michigan sports betting apps to get in on the action.

Of course, getting into the Super Bowl is no easy feat for anyone, especially with the way the Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are playing lately. Still, it would go down as the story of the season if the Lions reach the Super Bowl and are able to run out for battle with Hutchinson in the lineup.

Stay tuned.