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The franchise drafted Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker despite carrying an ACL injury into the NFL Draft. Hooker suffered a torn ACL in a non-contact injury in the fourth quarter of a blowout loss to South Carolina in the 2022 NCAA tournament. He has remained out of action since.
According to numerous sources, Hooker is expected to miss out on his rookie season as he recovers from the ACL injury. Hence, the Detroit Lions signed veteran backup QB Teddy Bridgewater as insurance at the QB position.
To further bolster the Lions' position, Hooker began the preseason on the NFI (Non-Football Injury) list and is required to miss the season's first eight games due to it. The arrival of Teddy Bridgewater eases the pressure on the franchise as they let their rookie QB fully recover from a potentially career-altering injury.
Hendon Hooker Lions' contract
The Detroit Lions selected Hendon Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The former Tennessee Volunteers shot caller was regarded as a top-five college QB coming into the Draft.
Following his selection, Hooker signed a four-year, $5,719,021 contract with the Detroit Lions, including a $1,159,288 signing bonus, $1,159,288 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $1,429,755, according to Spotrac.
Hendon Hooker College stats
Hendon Hooker spent the first four years of college football with the Virginia Tech Hokies. He was a backup QB in his first two seasons before bursting onto the scene in year three.
Hooker put up a decent stat line of 1,555 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and two interceptions in 10 games. His fourth season with the Hokies could have been better than his third, as he seemingly regressed. He threw for 1,339 yards with nine TDs and five picks for the year.
Following the season, he moved to the Tennessee Volunteers for more playing time. This move turned out to be brilliant, as he became the starting quarterback on an elite NCAA team.
He put up an incredible stat line of 2,945 passing yards, 31 touchdowns, and three interceptions in 13 games in his first year as the Volunteers starting quarterback. His next season was even better, totaling a stat line of 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns, and just two picks in eleven games at center.
The Lions drafted him in the 2023 NFL Draft due to his efforts at the collegiate level.
