Before the injury, he was chasing history. After it, he came back even better. With 100-plus pressure seasons, 14.5 sacks and a 4.5-sack explosion on his résumé, Aidan Hutchinson isn’t just in the DPOY conversation — he may be ready to own it.
Dominant pass rushers don’t just collect sacks — they take over seasons. That’s exactly what Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has been doing, and the numbers suggest his Defensive Player of the Year breakthrough may be imminent.
Hutchinson has already proven he can overwhelm offensive lines over the course of a full season. He recorded more than 100 quarterback pressures in both 2023 and 2025, placing him among the league’s most disruptive defenders. Pressures are often a better indicator of sustained dominance than sacks alone, and Hutchinson’s ability to collapse the pocket snap after snap separates him from one-dimensional edge rushers.
Still, the sack production is elite.
He posted a career-high 14.5 sacks this season, pushing his career total beyond 35 while adding 28 quarterback hits and more than 70 total tackles. He forced four fumbles and intercepted a pass, showcasing the versatility that makes him far more than a traditional edge rusher. Hutchinson impacts games against the run, in pursuit and even in coverage.
But perhaps the strongest evidence of his ceiling came in 2024 — a season that could have rewritten record books.
Before suffering an injury that cut his campaign short, Hutchinson was on pace to challenge the NFL’s single-season sack record. Through the first half of the year, he was averaging well over a sack per game, consistently overwhelming protections and dictating offensive game plans. At his projected pace, he would have threatened the 22.5-sack mark that stands as the league’s benchmark.
His most dominant performance that season came in a stunning 4.5-sack game — a franchise-defining outing that showcased every element of his skill set. He won with speed off the edge, converted power against tackles and finished relentlessly. It wasn’t just a big statistical game; it was the type of performance that shifts award conversations overnight.
The injury ultimately halted what was shaping up to be a historic run, but it also underscored just how high Hutchinson’s ceiling is when fully healthy. Instead of fading from the spotlight, he returned stronger, regaining his explosiveness and continuing to produce at an elite level.
That resilience matters in award voting.
In 2025, Hutchinson rebounded to again surpass 100 pressures and deliver his 14.5-sack season, earning second-team All-Pro honors and finishing as a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year. That finalist recognition signals he is already firmly in the conversation. The leap from finalist to winner often comes down to narrative — and few narratives are stronger than unfinished business.
Advanced metrics further bolster his candidacy. Hutchinson consistently ranks near the top of the league in pass-rush win rate and quarterback disruptions. Offenses routinely slide protection toward him, chip with tight ends and dedicate running backs to slowing him down. Even with that attention, he continues to produce.
Durability — outside of the 2024 injury — has also been a strength. Hutchinson regularly plays more than 80 percent of Detroit’s defensive snaps, maintaining his motor late into games and seasons.
Defensive Player of the Year awards often follow a simple formula: elite production, highlight moments and team success. Hutchinson already checks the first two boxes. If the Lions remain among the NFC’s top contenders, the third could fall into place.
He has already shown he can flirt with history. If he stays healthy for a full season and maintains his pressure pace, breaking the 20-sack barrier is well within reach.
And if that happens, the award may not just be possible — it may be inevitable