The Detroit Lions delivered a commanding victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but the outcome was marred by a crucial defensive setback. Star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson sustained a serious leg injury during the third quarter of the Week 6 matchup. The injury occurred while Hutchinson was making a tackle on quarterback Dak Prescott, resulting in an awkward bend of his leg when it collided with teammate Alim McNeill’s leg.
As Hutchinson went down, he immediately clutched his leg, removed his gloves, and stayed on the ground while the Lions’ medical staff attended to him. The game experienced a significant pause as Hutchinson remained down before being carted off the field to the Lions’ locker room.
Following the game, many players from both teams gathered around the cart to offer their support to Hutchinson as he was taken off the field.
On Monday, the Lions issued an update regarding Hutchinson’s condition through their social media channels. They confirmed that he had undergone successful surgery to repair a fractured tibia and fibula at Baylor White Medical Center in Irving, Texas. The team stated that Hutchinson would return to Detroit later in the week and is expected to make a full recovery, although no timeline for his return to play was provided.
Hutchinson was quickly ruled out of the game with what the team described as a “lower leg injury,” a decision that came as no shock given the severity of the incident. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed during a postgame press conference that Hutchinson had indeed suffered a broken tibia and mentioned that the Pro Bowler would stay in Dallas for further evaluation.
Campbell expressed concern over losing a player of Hutchinson’s caliber but emphasized that he is in “good hands” and would be “down for a little while.” However, he refrained from sharing an exact timeline for Hutchinson’s recovery.
In Hutchinson’s absence, Isaac Ukwu is listed as the primary backup edge rusher on the Lions’ depth chart. James Houston is also on the roster but did not play against the Cowboys. The Lions are already coping with reduced roster depth at the edge position, as free agent signing Marcus Davenport is out for the season due to a torn triceps. With Hutchinson sidelined, the team is left with only a limited number of healthy edge rushers available.
Prior to his injury, Hutchinson recorded one sack and three quarterback hits against the Cowboys, bringing his season total to 7.5 sacks after entering the game with a previous high of 6.5 sacks.