The Detroit Lions are only a short period of time into the offseason, and things already look totally different than they did this time last year. The team has lost both offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, who took a gig with the Chicago Bears, and Aaron Glenn, who’s now head coach of the New York Jets.
Detroit Lions star edge Aidan Hutchinson opened up about the changes in a podcast last week, and he had some surprising remarks.
Lions Aidan Hutchinson Gets Honest About the State of the Team
During an appearance on Thursday, February 19, on “The Squeeze” podcast with Tay and Taylor Lautner, Hutchinson was asked about the state of the Lions and what it means to lose Johnson and Glenn. He totally downplayed the losses and basically said the team’s success rests on the players, who are actually carrying out those play calls.
“I don’t care who they bring,” Hutchinson said on the show. “Obviously keeping Dan there is what we all want, but coordinators, position coaches, it doesn’t matter. As long as we have the right guys in the locker room and those foundation guys on offense, on defense — you can roll anyone in there to call the plays.”
He added, “At the end of the day, it’s going to be the playmakers who are making those plays on Sundays. As long as we keep our core group and keep everyone there, we’re going to stay in this window of winning.”
While it’s certainly a good point that the guys on the field are the ones carrying out plays and making wins happen, it’s surprising to see Hutchinson be so forthright about it. Some NFL analysts have noted Hutchinson’s remarks, too, and are a bit taken back by his unexpected statements.
“Hutchinson said it doesn’t matter who the Lions have calling plays on either side of the ball (or as position coaches), and he might be right. But there are ways to say that beyond those exact words, and ways not to,” noted NFL analyst and expert Brad Berreman of SideLion Report in a February 22 feature. “Once again, you’d think someone who’s had some level of media training going back to his college career would be able to choose his words better in a public forum.”
Aidan Hutchinson and Myles Garrett
Also on the episode, Hutchison said that he would love getting Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett on the Lions’ squad, although he admitted that it was a long shot, given the Browns don’t seem to want to give him up.
“I mean…if me and Myles were to pair up, that would be deadly,” Hutchinson said. “I was talking to him…at [the NFL Honors] and we were just talking about what could be.”
He added, “And although it’s probably unlikely… I would be thrilled to play next to him if it were to happen. Our whole D-line would be just totally elevated and…that’d be a scary defensive line.”
Last season, Hutchinson and Garrett were No. 1 and No. 2 in Pro Football Focus’ pass-rushing grades.
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