Lions Under Fire: Team’s Handling of Hendon Hooker Sparks Outrage and Backlash

The Detroit Lions knew what they were getting into when the took quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round (No. 68 overall) of the 2023 draft. He was coming off a torn ACL from late in his final college season, and he also had to learn the complexities of an NFL offense after Tennessee’s offense was not all that advanced.

Hooker also entered the league as an older prospect (25 year old), almost exactly a year younger than Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who was drafted in 2018.

Hooker’s rookie season was a proverbial “redshirt year”, as expected as he worked his way back from a major injury. Last offseason, he didn’t really fully take hold of the No. 2 spot on the depth chart until Nate Sudfeld fully proved to be unworthy competition for the spot. All last summer, the Lions talked about possibly keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

Hooker saw garbage time action in three games for the Lions last season, with necessarily limited opportunities to throw the ball due to blowout wins. During the season, the Lions had rumored interest in Daniel Jones when the New York Giants were set to waive him.

Then came the proverbial straws the broke the camel’s back when it comes to Hooker’s future as a Lion. Teddy Bridgewater, after coaching his high school alma mater to a state title, was signed in late-December. Then Bridgewater was elevated over Hooker as the No. 2 quarterback for the playoff game against the Washington Commanders.

So there’s been some natural speculation about Hooker being traded this offseason. The blunt reality is he’s 27 years old and halfway through his rookie contract, with no path to starting for the Lions with Jared Goff under contract through 2028.

Detroit-based analyst calls out Lions about Hendon Hooker

This past week, amid a discussion with co-host Ryan Ermanni about Hooker, Tom Mazaway of Woodward Sports pulled no punches.

“Don’t you think they damaged him a little by what they did in the playoffs,” Mazaway said. “I mean, they damaged him. Because teams know. And if you’re making this kid your benchwarmer, your emergency quarterback in a playoff game, and your quarterback goes down with a concussion — because Goff was concussed. He was playing concussed the rest of that game. To not bring your [second year] third round pick in, that’s completely healthy, to make him your emergency quarterback that day, that means the only way he would’ve played is if one of the quarterbacks, either Goff or Bridgewater, would have been ruled out for the game….so by the Lions dissing Hendon Hooker, I don’t think he has any trade value. A seventh round pick, that’s all he’s worth right now.”

A Day 3 draft pick, possibly with some kind of conditions on it, is what the Lions would be in line to get for Hooker in a trade. They crushed his trade value just a little bit more by deeming him incapable of stepping in if something happened to Goff in the playoff game, in deference to Bridgewater’s “experience” in the “different world” they were in (one playoff start in his career), while also indicating they’re ready to replace him as Goff’s backup this offseason.

As he confirmed Bridgewater was coming back aboard, Dan Campbell was sure to say the move didn’t mean the team was disappointed in Hooker. It’s also what Campbell had to say, as he referenced “what it looks like.”

What it looks like is the Lions made a pretty bad pick in the top-70 of the draft two years ago. They could have used said pick on someone who would be in line to contribute, or at least have a spot on the depth chart virtually locked in, looking toward next season.

The Lions have shown they don’t have a positive view of Hooker, while also diminishing whatever trade value he has. That’s something bad organizations do. Damaged feels like an aggressive word, but it lands appropriately regarding the Lions’ handling of Hooker as last season wound down.