Before the first big game of his Lions career, Aidan Hutchinson sent a video to a fan fighting cancer. Then he went out and set a franchise rookie record with three sacks in a win over Washington.
Afterward, Hutchinson had the fan on his heart.
"This game is dedicated to Hudson, who is a kid who just got diagnosed with Leukemia," Hutchinson said. "He’s a big Lions fan, he’s from my area. I sent him a video before the game. He was cheering me on. I’m just happy to have good games to spread causes to kids like that and raise a lot of awareness for things like that.”
Hutchinson, a Dearborn native and product of Divine Child High, must have made Hudson proud. The No. 2 pick was the Lions' best defensive player from the first snap of the game. It was a better display of his talent than last week when he barely cracked the box score in his NFL debut.
"He played better than he did last week," said Lions coach Dan Campbell. "He was much more detailed with how he rushed and much more disciplined – and really with everybody. So he was better, but so was everybody around him, which helps him be better. That’s really the best way to answer it. I’m fired up. I am, I love it. Three sacks, I hope he gives us three more next week."
Hutchinson even earned the respect of his target, Carson Wentz. The Commanders quarterback chased Hutchinson down after the game to commend the rookie on his breakout performance.
Hutchinson was limping off the field with an apparent injury, but said he was "just dealing with some football stuff, that's all. Just some stuff you gotta grit through. It happens and we'll be good."
Hutchinson's three first-half sacks helped the Lions silence Washington's offense in the first half. Now that they're in the win column, he said the rest of the season is "going to be fun."
"I can’t wait for it," Hutchinson said. "Getting this taste of a victory, it’s very encouraging for a lot of the guys here, and me. You know we can do it, so let’s believe in ourselves even more now."
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