Hendon Hooker

Panthers Add Hendon Hooker To P-Squad

August 28th, 2025 at 8:43am CST by Sam Robinson

Hendon Hooker‘s second chance will come with Carolina. The Panthers are bringing in the recently cut Lions quarterback, adding him to their practice squad.

The team announced the move, which will stash Hooker behind Bryce Young and Andy Dalton — the only two QBs on Carolina’s 53-man roster. The Lions waived Hooker on Tuesday, doing so after Dan Campbell indicated a fresh start was probably necessary after the former third-round pick could not beat out Kyle Allen for the Detroit QB2 job.

Given Hooker’s draft pedigree — as the No. 68 overall pick in 2023 — he stood to earn another opportunity; the Panthers will provide it after waiving two QBs (Jack Plummer, Bryce Perkins) prior to cutdown day. Plummer had spent last season on the Panthers’ P-squad. Plummer finished the season on Carolina’s 53-man roster. As of now, the former UDFA is not with a team.

“Hendon Hooker is a guy that I loved in the process coming out of Tennessee; I had some great meetings with him,” Dave Canales said, via Panthers.com’s Darin Gantt. “He really impressed me as a man, and a really high character guy with a lot of talent. A beautiful motion, big strapping guy who can run.”

Hooker’s pre-draft tour in 2023 included a visit with the Buccaneers during Canales’ one-year stop as Tampa Bay’s OC. The Tennessee-developed prospect, however, was unable to impress despite an extended opportunity with the Lions. Detroit stashed Hooker on its reserve/NFI list in 2023, activating him near the end of that season. After Hooker’s ACL rehab effort, he earned the Lions’ backup job. Near the end of last season, however, the Lions re-signed Teddy Bridgewater — their 2023 backup — and the veteran made a cameo in the No. 1-seeded squad’s divisional-round game. Despite a downgrade to Allen this offseason, the Lions saw Hooker lose a competition to be their backup.

Going unclaimed Wednesday separates Hooker from his third-round contract; he will now be on a practice squad salary. The Panthers will begin to evaluate the 27-year-old passer, who has appeared in three games and attempted nine regular-season passes. During the preseason, however, Hooker committed five turnovers. He was 22 of 40 for 187 yards with no TD passes and three INTs. Hooker, however, shined at Tennessee and crafted a Heisman campaign before suffering the ACL tear in November 2022.

The Lions do not currently have a quarterback on their practice squad, carrying only Allen and Jared Goff at the position.

Lions To Waive QB Hendon Hooker, DL Brodric Martin

August 25th, 2025 at 5:41pm CST by Sam Robinson

5:37pm: The 2023 third round did not go well for the Lions. After playing in just five games from 2023-24, Brodric Martin will be waived, per AtoZSports.com’s Mike Payton. Martin and Hooker each have two years left on their rookie deals.

Chosen 96th overall in 2023, Martin played in three rookie-year games and two 2024 contests. He did not see any playoff action. The Lions did use one of their IR activations on Martin, despite an injury-battered season making those rather valuable, but the team has not gotten much from the pick. Martin could be retained on a practice squad deal if he clears waivers.

3:02pm: Technically given three offseasons to take flight, the Lions’ Hendon Hooker is experiment is over. Detroit is waiving the former third-round pick, NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo reports.

Rehabbing a major injury during his first year in Detroit, Hooker has not progressed to the point the Lions have felt comfortable with him as Jared Goff‘s top backup. Discussing the young QB over the weekend, Dan Campbell signaled a separation was likely.

Campbell said a change of scenery would probably benefit the Tennessee alum at this point, and that will happen. Hooker does not appear a candidate for Detroit’s practice squad. Two years remain on his third-round contract. Hooker, 27, is due just more than $1MM in 2025 base salary. That figure is nonguaranteed, but the former Heisman candidate’s shaky Detroit stint may not make it a lock he is claimed. The Lions would eat less than $600K in dead money if Hooker goes unclaimed. The team will know by 11am CT Wednesday if the QB is claimed.

The Lions will give their backup job to Kyle Allen, who signed a one-year, $1.27MM deal this offseason. Although Allen spent last year as the Steelers’ third-stringer, he outplayed Hooker in the preseason after the latter committed five turnovers during Detroit’s exhibition slate. After the Lions reunited with Teddy Bridgewater to close last season, Allen’s arrival brought another challenge for Hooker.

The Bridgewater move came after Hooker did serve as the Lions’ top backup for most of last season. Hooker played in three games, completing 6 of 9 passes for 62 yards. That represents his only NFL game action, as the former Virginia Tech recruit spent most of his rookie year on the Lions’ reserve/NFI list due to the ACL tear sustained in November 2022. Hooker was mentioned as a candidate to be drafted earlier than he was (No. 68), but he has thus far proven skeptics — due partially to a Tennessee offense that brought questions about the formerly productive passer’s transition to the pros — right to this point.

Detroit does not have a third QB on its roster, making it logical the team will pursue one for its practice squad as the emergency option. The Lions carried Goff, Bridgewater and Hooker to close last season. Allen, 29, is now on team No. 6. He has worked as a backup or third-stringer — and fill-in starter, occasionally — in Carolina, Washington, Houston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh.

Allen’s most notable NFL work came in 2019, when he quarterbacked a mediocre Panthers team — Christian McCaffrey‘s historic 1,000-1,000 season notwithstanding — to a 5-7 record in his starts replacing an injured Cam Newton. Allen made two more starts with a bad 2022 Texans squad but has attempted one regular-season pass since 2023. Goff’s durability continues to benefit the Lions, but they will likely replace Hooker soon.

Kyle Allen Leading Hendon Hooker In Lions’ QB2 Battle

August 24th, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Rory Parks

AUGUST 24: Hooker struggled in Detroit’s final preseason contest on Saturday, connecting on six of 11 passes for 70 yards. He also turned the ball over for the fifth time in the preseason, and Campbell did not mince words when asked whether Hooker would stick on the roster.

“How much development do you believe there is?” Campbell said (via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk). “We’re talking about Hooker right now, how much development do you believe there still is? Sometimes, does the player need a change of scenery?”

It seems Hooker is likely to be waived prior to Tuesday’s deadline for teams to reduce their rosters to 53 players. While he could be stashed on the practice squad if he clears waivers, Campbell’s change-of-scenery comments suggest Detroit may not take that route even if it becomes available.

AUGUST 17: The Lions brought Teddy Bridgewater out of his quasi-retirement last December, clearly feeling the need to fortify their QB room for the end of the regular season and the playoffs. While head coach Dan Campbell tried to downplay the notion that the Bridgewater addition signified a lack of faith in 2023 draftee Hendon Hooker – who had served as Jared Goff‘s backup to that point in the 2024 campaign – Hooker was not automatically returned to the QB2 post this year.

Instead, Detroit signed Kyle Allen in March, and Campbell said a competition for the backup job would commence. At the moment, Allen is decisively winning that competition and therefore appears to be in line to open the season behind Goff on the depth chart.

In the Lions’ preseason game against the Dolphins on Saturday, Allen got the start and completed 14 of 17 passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns, including a score at the end of a well-constructed two-minute drill (h/t Dave Brikett of the Detroit Free Press).

Hooker, by contrast, completed six of 13 passes for 61 yards and an interception. As Birkett observes, the Miami game represented the third time in three preseason contests – Detroit was one of the participants in the Hall of Fame Game – that Allen has outplayed Hooker, a fact Campbell acknowledged when addressing the media afterwards.

“He’s playing better,” Campbell said of Allen (via Birkett). “So I would say that right now, if you’re saying – if you had to go in with a [QB2] right now, who would you trust more? Yeah, I would trust Kyle more because he’s proven more after these two games. But I’m still – we’re still going to coach Hooker up and we’re still going to see what’s there and see if we can get him better. I mean, we still got a little bit here.”

It is fair to wonder how much another week or so of coaching will improve Hooker’s stock with the organization. Entering the NFL after a November 2022 ACL tear dinged his prospect status, Hooker was the fifth quarterback chosen that year. Rumblings about first- and second-round landing spots circulated before that draft, but the once-surging University of Tennessee QB tumbled into Round 3.

Two years remain on Hooker’s rookie contract, and although he is entering just his third professional season, he is now 27. The fact that he seems to be losing ground to the 29-year-old Allen, who has become a nomadic backup/third-stringer since a 12-start audition in 2019, is a disappointing development.

Campbell went on to say Hooker may get the start in next week’s preseason finale against the Texans. At the very least, he will get an extended look as he fights for his place on the club.

Under Campbell, the Lions have made a habit of carrying only two passers on the 53-man roster.

Lions To Hold QB2 Competition

April 12th, 2025 at 12:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

Becoming the team that took a chance on Hendon Hooker in the 2023 draft, the Lions are still not sold on the former college standout as their entrenched backup quarterback. This view became clear when they brought Teddy Bridgewater out of retirement last year, and a subsequent free agency decision affects Hooker’s standing as well.

The Lions signed Kyle Allen after his Steelers season. While Allen is not a clear-cut backup option for Jared Goff, the Lions will give the 2024 third-stringer a chance to usurp Hooker this offseason.

“Hooker, no different than Allen, are competing,” Dan Campbell said, via DetroitLions.com. “The best way to help guys really reach their full potential is competition. You can say things the best you can to prop them up, but at some point, you just have to go compete and it’s him or you. I anticipate Hooker’s going to compete. That’s what he does.”

Hooker had spent much of last season as Goff’s backup, seeing his first game action during blowouts. The ex-Tennessee and Virginia Tech starter has attempted nine career passes. Late in training camp last year, Campbell said Nate Sudfeld held a lead on Hooker for the backup job. But the Lions still kept Hooker on their active roster and cut Sudfeld before setting their 53-man roster. Allen brings another threat to Hooker’s QB2 status.

Entering the NFL after a November 2022 ACL tear dinged his draft stock, Hooker was the fifth quarterback chosen that year. Rumblings about first- and second-round landing spots circulated before that draft, but the once-surging Volunteers QB tumbled into Round 3. Two years remain on Hooker’s rookie contract, and despite going into only his third season, the former intriguing prospect is 27. This represents an important offseason for a player who had been viewed as something of a project coming into the league.

Allen joined the Lions on a one-year, $1.27MM deal; only $100K is guaranteed, giving the Lions freedom to cut the nomadic reserve while incurring barely any dead money. A former UDFA going into his age-29 season, Allen has made 19 career starts. Many came with the Panthers in 2019, though he also made four starts for a playoff-bound 2020 Washington outfit. Allen is a career 62.7% passer who has averaged a pedestrian 6.7 yards per attempt. He has stopped through Carolina, Washington, Houston, Buffalo and Pittsburgh during his career.

While Lions GM Brad Holmes expressed confidence in Hooker, the Lions’ moves since he came off the NFI list have not reflected it. Barring another Bridgewater unretirement, however, Hooker has another clear shot to win the backup job behind one of the NFL’s most durable players. Jake Fromm is also on the Lions’ roster, but he appears to be the least likely of the team’s non-Goff QB trio to make the team. That said, Fromm spent all of last season on Detroit’s practice squad; he would give the team some insurance if the Hooker-Allen competition produces a player not worthy of a spot on the active roster or the P-squad.

Dan Campbell, Hendon Hooker Address Teddy Bridgewater Signing

December 27th, 2024 at 2:01pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

Usually, a Super Bowl contender signing a new backup quarterback in Week 17 signals a glaring lack of faith in the club’s usual No. 2.

But Lions head coach Dan Campbell insisted that adding Teddy Bridgewater “doesn’t mean we’re disappointed” in 2023 third-rounder Hendon Hooker, who has spent the season backing up Jared Goff.

“It’s just a different world that we’re getting ready to walk into,” Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press). “We felt like this was the right thing to do, especially with somebody that I have a tremendous amount of trust with and for. He understands our offense well.”

Campbell’s comments could be read as a subtle acknowledgement of the obvious experience disparity between Bridgewater, a nine-year veteran with 65 career starts, and Hooker, a 2023 third-rounder who has played 33 total snaps in the NFL.

Bridgewater has more passing attempts in the playoffs than Hooker has in his entire career. Campbell said that either quarterback could see the field if Goff misses any time in the playoffs and mentioned Bridgewater’s ability to lead the scout team offense as well. Hooker, who has stayed in touch with Bridgewater since his retirement last year, isn’t taking the signing personally.

“I figured Teddy was going to come back here this season,” Hooker said. “I didn’t know when. I knew when his season was over he was going to come back. I mean, we’ve been talking about it since the summer. He’s still my mentor at the end of the day, so any questions I have about life or this game of football or being a pro always seem to lean on Teddy.”

A Lions team that has seen injuries deplete its depth chart at other positions is now further protected at quarterback. While Goff has been one of the NFL’s most durable players during his nine-year career, the experience gulf between he and Hooker likely prompted this reunion. Bridgewater may well return to coaching soon after this season, but he also could be the QB the Lions call on if something were to happen to Goff during the playoffs. That makes this one of the more interesting late-season signings in recent memory.

QB Teddy Bridgewater Rejoins Lions

December 26th, 2024 at 10:25pm CST by Sam Robinson

10:25pm: This is an active-roster deal, Rapoport adds. Rather than take the practice squad route like so many veterans have upon signing in-season, Bridgewater will be on the Lions’ 53 immediately.

Teams also showed recent interest in the successful high school coach/part-time QB for assistant positions, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler tweets. While coaching at the NFL level may be in the experienced passer’s future, Bridgewater preferred the chance to try to win a Super Bowl as a player first.

11:37am: Teddy Bridgewater enjoyed tremendous success in his first season as a high school head coach, leading his team to a state championship. He had announced intentions to explore an NFL return, however, and a familiar team will take him up on that effort.

The Lions are bringing Bridgewater back, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Mike Garafolo report. Bridgewater spent last season in Detroit, announcing last December would retire and pursue coaching. As the Lions attempt to reach their first Super Bowl a year later, they have secured veteran QB depth via a reunion.

This will give the Lions more familiarity, as Bridgewater rejoins a quarterback room housing Jared Goff and Hendon Hooker. Bridgewater, 32, had played ahead of Hooker during the latter’s rookie season — one spent mostly on the reserve/NFI list thanks to a college ACL tear — but the second-year passer has worked as Goff’s backup this year. Goff and Hooker are the only two QBs on Detroit’s active roster. Unless Bridgewater is joining the NFC North leaders’ practice squad, the team will carry three QBs again.

Upon retiring, Bridgewater landed an interesting gig. He became the head coach of his alma mater, Miami Northwestern High, and he led the school to a state championship. This might not be a long-term move, as Bridgewater hinted at returning to the league before potentially stepping back into the role of head coach at his former high school. It appears Bridgewater and the Lions had kept in contact, and the sides have at least agreed on a short-term partnership for a second straight year.

The Lions had initially signed Bridgewater during their 2023 training camp. They then placed Nate Sudfeld on IR, clearing the way for the veteran passer to back up Goff. Detroit did not need Bridgewater last season, as Goff continued to display durability, and has not needed Hooker to make any starts this year. During his Lions stint, Goff has only missed time due to injury in 2021. His rebound has been one of the defining NFL stories this decade, and the sides agreed on a long-term extension this offseason. Bridgewater, however, would supply experience Hooker does not.

It would stand to reason Bridgewater has kept himself in good shape during his initial stint coaching at the high school level. The former first-round pick was unable to stay healthy during his 2022 Dolphins stint, but he held up in a backup role with the Lions. Bridgewater has made 65 starts over the course of his career, one that included a recovery from a severe knee injury. The 2014 draftee has since worked as a full-time starter for the Panthers and Broncos. Two concussions ended his run in Denver; that 2021 season marked the last time Bridgewater was a starter.

Dan Campbell said during training camp Sudfeld was outperforming Hooker, but the Lions did not keep three QBs on their active roster. They instead cut Sudfeld, adding Jake Fromm to their practice squad a day later. Fromm serves as Detroit’s No. 3 quarterback; his status will be worth monitoring now that Bridgewater is back.

The Lions drafted Hooker in last year’s third round, signing off on a rehab project that included a lengthy NFI stay. Three Detroit blowouts this season gave Hooker some playing time; he has thrown nine passes after sitting last season. If Goff were to go down now, Bridgewater’s season in Ben Johnson‘s offense may well move him back into the role of the immediate backup. Two more seasons remain on Hooker’s rookie deal. While the Tennessee alum may well go back to the role of top Goff backup entering the offseason, it is certainly worth wondering if he has lost that job for the season’s remainder.

Campbell confirmed he and Bridgewater have stayed in touch, adding (via Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers) this does not mean the team has lost faith in Hooker. Having both players active sounds like it is in the cards for the Lions, with Campbell indicating the team taking advantage of the emergency QB rule in the playoffs was a factor in the Bridgewater reunion.

Lions Likely To Keep Three QBs; Nate Sudfeld In Lead For QB2 Job

August 21st, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jared Goff‘s career turnaround led to the former No. 1 overall pick joining the $50MM-per-year club, officially ending any speculation regarding his long-term future in Detroit. The Lions still have questions to answer behind their high-priced starter, however.

At this time last year, Detroit had signed Teddy Bridgewater to back up Goff. After playing out a one-year contract, the former first-rounder retired at 31 and is coaching high school football. This leaves Hendon Hooker and veteran Nate Sudfeld behind Goff. The reserves’ hierarchy seems out of step with where the Lions wanted it to be.

Sudfeld is leading the way to be Goff’s backup come Week 1, Dan Campbell said. Though, the Lions do not appear to be considering exposing Hooker to waivers. Campbell added, via the Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett, the team will likely keep all three of its QBs on the active roster. The team also recently added Jake Fromm, who would seem a practice squad candidate (at best).

“You have to have conviction that whoever that (No. 2) guy is, is going to be able to keep this ship afloat and what we know about Hooker is, Hooker is a young, developing quarterback and he needs reps and he needs time,” Campbell said. “I do know that. And Nate right now has the upper hand because he’s played more.”

The Lions viewed Sudfeld as a shaky backup option last year, bringing in Bridgewater during training camp. The former Day 3 draftee did not factor into the team’s QB plans during the regular season, being ineligible after the Lions moved him to IR before the season. The team kept two QBs on its active roster last year, stashing Hooker on its reserve/NFI list, and carried only two passers on its 53-man team to start the 2021 and ’22 seasons as well.

Sudfeld, 30, still re-signed with the team this offseason. The Lions gave their third-year reserve QB a one-year, $1.21MM deal that included $300K guaranteed. Best known for being the player Doug Pederson threw into action to replace Jalen Hurts in a winnable Week 17 game in 2020, Sudfeld has managed to stick around for eight seasons. This will be Year 9 for the former Washington sixth-rounder. Sudfeld is 25-for-37 as a pro; he has not thrown a pass in a game since that much-discussed Philly-Washington matchup.

Several teams met with Hooker before the 2023 draft. Rumors about the Tennessee prospect being a second-round pick surfaced, but the ACL tear he sustained late in the 2022 season led to a value loss and a near-full-season rehab effort. The Lions stopped Hooker’s contract from tolling late last season, removing him from the NFI list in mid-December. Bridgewater remained Goff’s backup throughout last season, but the durable starter started all 20 Detroit games.

Campbell wants to continue Hooker’s development, even if that means the second-year QB not winning the backup job immediately. Sudfeld would not seem a tremendous impediment to Hooker, should he show improvement in the coming months. But for now, the second-year passer is on track to open the season as a third-stringer. Hooker not being ready also leaves the Lions a bit vulnerable, despite Sudfeld having been in Ben Johnson‘s system since 2022.

Lions HC Dan Campbell Discusses QB Hendon Hooker

June 9th, 2024 at 9:55am CST by Rory Parks

The expectation is that quarterback Hendon Hooker, whom the Lions selected in the third round of the 2023 draft, will serve as Jared Goff‘s primary backup in 2024. However, it does not sound as if he is where he needs to be just yet.

Hooker was in the midst of a terrific final season at Tennessee when he suffered an ACL tear that cut his season short and undermined his draft stock. Detroit added the big-armed passer anyway, viewing him as a talent worth developing behind Goff. The club subsequently signed Teddy Bridgewater to operate as Goff’s QB2, but with Bridgewater having retired, the backup quarterback role is there for the taking.

Hooker’s competition for the gig is Nate Sudfeld, who sustained an ACL tear of his own last August. Obviously, Hooker’s ceiling is much higher than Sudfeld’s, but Lions HC Dan Campbell will not simply hand the job to Hooker.

As ESPN’s Eric Woodyard writes, Hooker showed flashes of promise during last week’s minicamp, though he has also struggled at times with his accuracy. Per Campbell, Hooker will need to “take a step up” to secure the QB2 post.

“We need to feel like by the end of [training] camp this guy can run this offense,” Campbell said. “He’s somebody that we know we can play the game a certain way. We know he’s going to be able to process the information. He’s going to get us in the right play and he’s going to keep the ship afloat. That’s it.”

Woodyard says the Lions are committed to developing Hooker, despite Goff having proven that he is capable of leading the team on a Super Bowl run and landing a massive extension last month. To that end, Detroit put Hooker through a “rigorous routine” during their offseason work, and the expectation is that he will have a firm grasp on the offense when the club reconvenes for training camp.

“We don’t need him to come in and win a game,” Campbell added. “You just want to feel like, ‘all right.’ So obviously, he’s going to need to take another step up.”

Hooker, who threw for a whopping 58 touchdowns against just five interceptions in an admittedly QB-friendly offense during his 24-game run at Tennessee after a less productive stint at Virginia Tech, said, “I’m just learning these lessons as I go. I’m going to fail some, I’m going to pass some. But it’s all about just learning and banking these reps. … Just getting back into the rhythm of moving off my spot and completing balls and just playing free, that’s what I’m trying to get to. Just playing free like I was at Tennessee.”

Lions Waive Riley Patterson, Activate Hendon Hooker From Reserve/NFI List

December 19th, 2023 at 3:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

In his second stint with the Lions, Riley Patterson served as the team’s kicker for 13 games this season. The offseason trade acquisition made more than 88% of his field goal attempts, but the Lions are still moving on once again.

The Lions waived Patterson on Tuesday. This clears the path for Michael Badgley to take over. An internal competition will lead to Detroit making a full-on change. Dan Campbell said Patterson and Badgley had vied for the job over the past several weeks in practice. Despite Patterson remaining on Detroit’s active roster throughout this period, the Lions elevated Badgley to kick against the Broncos.

The job is now Badgley’s for good. Badgley operated as the Lions’ kicker to close last season. The team, however, swapped future seventh-round picks with the Jaguars to reacquire Patterson — a Lions kicker for seven games in 2021 — following Jacksonville’s Brandon McManus signing. Patterson now returns to the waiver wire.

Additionally, the Lions made the move to activate Hendon Hooker from their reserve/NFI list. Hooker suffered a torn ACL last November; the injury affected the Tennessee standout’s draft prospects. The Lions selected Hooker early in the third round but parked him on the NFI list. Tuesday’s activation will prevent Hooker’s rookie contract from tolling to 2027.

The Lions made the Patterson trade in May. Following a chain reaction that began with Sean Payton cutting McManus after a nine-season Broncos run, the Jags had discussed a trade with the Cowboys involving Patterson. But the Lions ended up sending a 2026 draft choice to reacquire the third-year specialist. The team used Badgley in 12 games last season and re-signed him on a practice squad deal after the Titans released him in August. Evidently impressive Badgley practice work will lead to the NFC North leaders shaking up their kicker situation.

Patterson has only attempted four field goals from beyond 40 yards this season; he is 3 of 4 on those kicks. Badgley was 9-for-11 from 40-49 yards last year and 2-for-3 from beyond 50. Patterson missed two PATs this season; Badgley did not miss an extra point last year with the Lions and was 6-for-6 in the team’s win over the Broncos on Saturday night.

This does mark an interesting switch for the Lions, who are on the verge of clinching their first division title in 30 years. The team initially cut Patterson to close out training camp in August 2022. Patterson ended up kicking throughout last season in Jacksonville. After the Lions went with Austin Seibert to start last season, they signed Badgley in early October. Badgley, 28, re-signed with Detroit in March but has been with three teams in 2023. Weeks after the Patterson trade, the Lions released Badgley, whom the Commanders and Titans subsequently cut. This complicated journey will lead him back into a role as the Lions’ primary kicker.

Hooker’s role suddenly looks clearer. The Lions are using Teddy Bridgewater as their backup quarterback this season, but the 31-year-old veteran is tied to a one-year contract. Bridgewater also announced over the weekend he plans to retire following the season. With Bridgewater planning to become a high school coach, the Lions have Hooker penciled in as Goff’s long-term backup.

The Lions have been cautious with Hooker, keeping him on the NFI list well into November and using his full activation window before moving him to the 53-man roster. Detroit now has three QBs on its 53-man roster and a fourth (David Blough) on its practice squad.

Lions Designate Hendon Hooker For Return

November 29th, 2023 at 12:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

While the Lions’ 8-3 start has put Hendon Hooker‘s rookie season on the back burner, the third-round pick will put on a uniform this season. He will start with a practice jersey. The Lions designated Hooker for return from the reserve/NFI list Wednesday, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport tweets.

Hooker fell in the draft due to the ACL tear he suffered Nov. 19, 2022. The Lions have exercised considerable caution with their QB project, with this return designation coming 53 weeks later. This marks the second straight year a key Lions draftee will return to practice after spending much of the season on the NFI list. Jameson Williams came back in December of last season after sustaining an ACL tear in January 2022.

Dan Campbell hinted (via the Detroit News’ Justin Rogers) a Hooker practice debut would happen soon. With Jared Goff healthy and entrenched as Detroit’s starter and signed through 2024 (with an extension on the radar), the Lions can take their time with Hooker, whom they chose 68th overall. While it is unlikely the Tennessee- and Virginia Tech-developed QB prospect will play this season, he is moving close to a potential role as the team’s emergency quarterback on gamedays. Even that may be a bridge too far, as the Lions have used a two-QB gameday setup thus far.

If Hooker is not activated in the next three weeks, he must spend the season on the NFI list. Were that to happen, Hooker would see his rookie contract toll, moving the four-year deal from 2024-27 instead of 2023-26. Rather, the Lions had planned to activate the rookie when he became eligible.

Hooker met with several teams during the pre-draft process. Gauging the former Heisman candidate’s rehab process made sense for QB-seeking clubs. Rumors about Hooker potentially going as high as the late first round circulated, but he fell out of Round 2. The Lions had traded down from No. 63 to 68, and they stopped Hooker’s slide. They are in the unusual position of developing a quarterback who will likely not be viewed as even a backup option until his age-26 season. Hooker spending five seasons in college, using his extra eligibility year the NCAA granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely affected his draft slot as well. Campbell said Hooker’s age was not a factor for them.

Detroit appeared to be OK going into the season with only Nate Sudfeld behind Goff, but the team signed Teddy Bridgewater in July. The veteran has not been needed this season, but he stands to finish out the year as the Lions’ backup. The Lions would have a spot for Hooker, as the No. 3 QB, with Sudfeld on season-ending IR. David Blough sits as Detroit’s de facto QB3, residing on the practice squad. Hooker’s return could affect Blough, but the Lions may also keep all four once they activate the rookie.

Prior to his ACL tear, the 6-foot-3 prospect piloted Tennessee to five wins over ranked competition — including a shootout conquest over Alabama — last season. Hooker finished his two-year Vols run with 58 touchdown passes and five interceptions; the six-year collegian was far less prolific at Virginia Tech. As our Ely Allen pointed out in April, Hooker playing in what is viewed as a QB-friendly offense at Tennessee could affect his NFL development. The Lions will begin that process in earnest today.

Load More Posts