Hendon Hooker, the Detroit Lions quarterback, was once viewed as a potential successor to Jared Goff, but the former third-round choice may now have to compete for a spot on the depth chart.
The Lions selected Hooker with the No. 68 overall pick in 2023, a long-term project for a quarterback recovering from a torn ACL that cut short his senior season at Tennessee. Hooker showed promise in his first year in Detroit and received some praise from coaches, but he was unable to secure the No. 2 place and will now have to win the job in an open battle this summer.
Lions Plan Quarterback Competition.
Lions general manager Brad Holmes revealed the team’s quarterback plans this week, telling reporters at the league meetings that Hooker will compete with veteran Kyle Allen for the privilege to backup Goff.
“I mean, look, we like Hendon,” Holmes told USA Today’s Lions Wire. “He suffered an injury the first year, and last year was the first time he was able to participate in a complete training camp and season. And then we brought Teddy Bridgewater in because we were preparing for the playoffs and postseason, and he wasn’t quite ready, you know? And he recognized that.” The Lions gave Allen a one-year, $1.27 million contract this offseason, injecting some competition into their quarterback room. Holmes said the team still holds Hooker in high standing, but don’t plan to hand him the job without a fight. “Still got high hopes for [Hooker], but nobody’s gonna be given a job either,” Holmes stated. “So if Hendon wants to be the number two quarterback, then win the No. 2 quarterback job.” Hooker was once considered a potential successor to Goff, but Goff then turned in strong performances in 2023 and 2024, leading the team to two consecutive NFC North titles and securing a long-term contract extension.
During that time, Hooker showed promise but was unable to clinch the backup slot, and the team instead turned to veteran Teddy Bridgewater as the No. 2 quarterback for the playoff game against the Wasington Commanders.
Lions expect big things from Jared Goff.
The Lions may be anticipating a duel for No. 2, but Goff’s position on the squad is secure. Head coach Dan Campbell praised the veteran quarterback this week, saying the team expects him to play an even larger role after completing a career-high 72.4% of his throws last season. “He continues to grow every year,” Campbell told MLive.com. “I would say the next stage for him, and he recognizes this every year.
“And then he started bringing stuff to us, like, ‘Hey, guy,’ I can see this expression. Let me get to this play. I know I have these possibilities in the bag. But let me get to this, too. Right? Those are the moments when he says, ‘OK, here we go, man.’ That’s starting to show. I would expect it to take another stride forward.”
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