'Fully cleared': Lions' Hutchinson gains valuable perspective from injury, ready to prove he hasn't hit his ceiling

Allen Park — Aidan Hutchinson has spent a lot of time in hospitals, but rarely as a patient, and never requiring an overnight stay.

At least until last October.

In the Detroit Lions' Week 6 game against the Cowboys in Dallas, Hutchinson did what he does best, getting by the offensive tackle to wrap up and bring down quarterback Dak Prescott. But in that process, Hutchinson's left leg whipped around, catching teammate Alim McNeill with such force that it snapped Hutchinson's tibia and fibula.

Carted off the field, Hutchinson required immediate surgery to stabilize the injury before he could fly home.

"I've never stayed in a hospital in my life," Hutchinson said. "Staying in a hospital for a couple days in Dallas, it was one of the most miserable experiences I've probably had in my life."

There's no downplaying the pain of breaking a bone, the grueling grind of rehab, and the lingering mental anguish of missed opportunity. Hutchinson was in the early stages of an MVP-caliber season for a team that was primed to make a Super Bowl run. All of that was gone in an instant.

The Lions somehow stayed afloat without him, going on to win 15 games, but they ran out of gas at the finish line, going one-and-done in the postseason. Hutchinson rode the emotions of those highs and lows with an unavoidable feeling of detachment.

"For a while I feel like I was just numb to things, because I had this vision of how the season was going to go, and it was going that way, and then, boom, that's over," Hutchinson said. "And I feel like for a while you get in that victim mode for a bit."

"…In those moments, you try to look at all the silver linings that you can in order to make it make sense a little bit," Hutchinson said. "And still, at the end of the day, you question, 'Why?' And that's why you dive into the faith. And that's kind of what I did. It was a very challenging time for a few months. You know, you want to be a part of the winning that was going on. As much as I was a part of the team, when you're not really there, you don't really feel that you're a part of it."

Regardless, whatever self-pity might have remained was eroded away by perspective cultivated through experience.

While still at the University of Michigan, Hutchinson found a philanthropic calling through the school's Mott Children's Hospital. And along with his family, they've built a foundation around spending time with and inspiring kids who are dealing with life-threatening ailments.

How can you complain about a broken leg after spending so much time around children battling cancer?

"I was like, 'Dude, these kids who are in there for 30 days at a time, getting their treatments, and the parents that are in there with them,'" Hutchinson said. "I feel like that perspective, it makes me just understand more. And I didn't really before. I just got a little taste of it. …I feel like, again, that relatability was just at an all-time high."

Seven months after his injury, Hutchinson has fully rounded the corner on his recovery. Although it remains unclear whether he'll have any restrictions as Detroit's offseason program progresses, he plainly stated he's "fully cleared."

"It was really just a steady, gradual climb," Hutchinson said. "I always knew I was going to be back. I was never that concerned because it was just a couple of bones. Obviously, I got a little impatient with it sometimes, but I always knew that the end was near.

"...I feel like it's those trials and tribulations that really kind of mature you as a person, as a player," Hutchinson said. "It was a tough rehab, and I feel like now that I'm on the other side of it. Looking back, you're kind of grateful for those experiences because it formed you into the person you are today."

If it were up to him, Hutchinson would hit fast forward to September. He can't wait for the season opener against Green Bay. But there's a lot of work to do between now and then — OTA practices and training camp — and he's content appreciating each of those steps.

"If we could flash-forward, I'd love it, but I think there's a beauty in the process that you can't really get in those games," Hutchinson said. "When you figure out a certain pass-rush move, when you figure out a certain step, there's a different kind of joy from that compared to winning a football game."

Of course, once the ball is kicked off at Lambeau Field on Sept 7th, he's eager to prove his injury was a hiccup in his steady ascension.

"I think a lot of people believe that (last year) is my ceiling, but I still believe that I'm going to push for those greater heights," he said. "I'm 24. I'm still a young dude. And I think I have a lot of — I don't think that's the peak."