“All I remember thinking is…I’m not going to be able to play in the Super Bowl,” Lions’ defensive star Aidan Hutchinson had recalled thinking immediately after his season-ending injury. Hoping to clinch the Defensive Player of the Year award, it wasn’t long before Hutchinson threw light on the silver lining—this time with a Christmas ritual worth remembering. But before we get to the meat of the story…

The Detroit Lions player had suffered a brutal injury in Week 6, when teammate Alim McNeill hit his leg while Hutchinson was in the process of sacking Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the third quarter. Immediately following the hit, the 24-year-old was seen lying on the ground writhing in pain, and had to be carted off the field immediately. Injury reports stated, Aidan had fractured his tibia and fibula, and subsequently underwent surgery for the same. His tibia was reportedly fixed with an intramedullary nail, and he’s expected to make full recovery.

One study reported that 91.5% athletes are able to successfully return to sport after such injuries. As for Hutchinson, we’ll talk about this a bit later.

But first things first, let’s look at how the star player made everyone’s day during the holiday season. As per a tweet by MLFootball, and a Reel posted on The HOUSE of HUTCH’s official Instagram page, the Hutchinson family reported visited a local hospital at the DE’s hometown in Plymouth, Michigan. For the unversed: HOUSE of HUTCH is the official brand, and non-profit organization of Aidan and his family. As per the brand’s website:

HoH is “a dynamic brand and nonprofit dedicated to spreading positivity and making a difference. At the heart of their endeavors is Aidan Hutchinson, whose journey fuels the brand’s spirit. Alongside him are his family members, mom Melissa, dad Chris, and sisters Mia and Aria, each contributing their unique talents to the vision”.

“The mantras printed on their lifestyle apparel serve as an intentional platform to share their deeply held beliefs, encouraging people to embody those mantras they relate to and truly “become what you wear.” Their journey extends beyond apparel; Hutch Heroes, their nonprofit, embodies their commitment to community and service. Through this charity, Aidan visits kids who battle life-threatening illness making frequent visits to Mott Children’s Hospital. With each endeavor, the Hutchinson’s exemplify a holistic approach to life, where faith, purpose, and action intertwine to create lasting change,” the official mission statement further read. So, it was only natural that the Christmas cheer would reach those who really need it…

As per an IG post on December 26, “Bringing some cheer to the hospital on Christmas day has become our favorite family tradition. We always have a blast rolling our cart of gifts around the hospital wing and surprising all the kids with @thehousehutch goodies and treats! We finally met our hero Nicholas in person…and Aidan got to tell him he was going home that day for Christmas (cue in the screams and dancing with his two brothers!) 😭🙌🏻💙 The song we used is “Sunshine” by Sia, and it is our favorite Christmas song at the moment.”

“Read the lyrics—they are so beautiful and exactly how we feel about all the special kids we meet. “I’m Santa’s helper, give your fears to me I’ll take them home, baby And return them as sunshine” 🌞✨,” the caption concluded. And akin to what the description read, the video showed the Hutchinson family make their way to several hospital rooms with gifts in hand.

And, as expected, the kids were absolutely awestruck seeing their favorite player in person. Some laughed, some hugged Aidan and others were ecstatic at the gifts they were receiving. But one theme was common: The feeling of togetherness, strength, and resilience. One little boy with a nasal cannula strapped to his face also waved to his hand with a little help from his mother. And then there was one little boy, Nicholas, who danced and jumped in joy after Hutchinson gifted him a House of Hutch Blue Lion Sherpa Blanket. As per the organization’s website, ‘Nicholas the Warrior’ was diagnosed with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) on February 26, 2021.

The boy reportedly had “favorable genetics” and had full chance of recovery. After intense chemotherapy sessions, he was declared cancer-free in May last year. However, just seven months later, the cancer returned—this time in his cerebral spinal fluid, requiring a bone marrow transplant.

“After 14 rounds of radiation, immunotherapy and even more grueling chemo, on April 11, 2024 Nicholas had a bone marrow transplant…The transplant was successful, but…Nicholas was diagnosed with a blood disease from the transplant. The donor cells were attacking his blood cells which caused him to swell and have dangerously high blood pressures. Thankfully modern medicine was able to step in and eradicate this disease after 2 months of heavy medications and hospital stays.” As of now, the young boy is on the road to recovery, and “is having less and less hospital appointments and stays”.

Having said that, the Lions DE sure knows how to make a difference, not just on the field, but off it too. ‘Kindness is always cool’ folks. We should all try it at times. 

That’s exactly why when Aidan got injured, it hit everyone hard, even the hip-hop legend, Eminem. The Detroit Lions fan for years, Em showed some love for the DE by rocking an Aidan jersey during one of his performances. Looks like all that love and support from the fans paid off for Aidan, as reports are saying the DE might make a comeback soon.

Will Aidan Hutchinson be back for the Super Bowl?

As Aidan Hutchinson has been spreading smiles on the faces of children, there’s some good news for the Lions fans too. But mind you, don’t get too hopeful. Anything could happen here in the NFL. So don’t believe anything or anyone until you see it with your own eyes. But, as per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, there’s a chance Aidan could make a comeback this season. “We’ll start with Aiden Hutchinson, who of course broke his leg earlier in the season. My understanding, is this is something he said publicly too, he is still on track to be back for the Super Bowl if the Lions make it. Certainly something to aspire to,” reported Rapoport.

Aidan’s teammates and others have also opined the same. According to Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs on the Up and Adams show last week, “I feel like he’s going to be back. He works extremely hard for himself and this team. So I have confidence that he’ll be back and ready to go.” Even the DE himself is confident of turning his fortunes around by the time the Super Bowl rolls by.

Talking to actor Taylor Lautner on ‘The Squeeze’ podcast, the player had confidently statedlast week, “I’m on track for my goal of returning for the Super Bowl…I keep telling all the boys when I see them in the facility, I’m like, ‘You guys just gotta get there, and I promise you, I’m gonna be back.”

“My mom was like, I remember we were talking yesterday and she’s like, ‘But Aidan, what if you don’t get back? What if you can’t?’ And I was like, ‘There’s no other way’,” he further noted. His team, on the other hand, are yet to give out an official return date.

According to journalist Albert Breer, Aidan Hutchinson “will surely be in uniform” if the Detroit Lions advance to the Super Bowl…

The Lions have already locked in a playoff spot, being the first team in the NFC to do so. But now, with the Vikings catching up with 13 wins, they face a serious threat. Securing the divisional win is on the checklist of almost every team that has been playing well. The Ravens recently dethroned the Steelers with their huge 31-2 win over the Texans. Till now, only the Chiefs have been successful in winning the division as well as locking the No. 1 seed. The Lions have two games left to play. One in Week 17 against the 49ers. And the other, the most awaited against the Vikings in the final week.

Now, it will be interesting to see when Aidan Hutchinson makes his return. Will it be the final game or the playoffs? Or whether he steps on the gridiron straight on Super Bowl day, if the Lions make it. What do you think will happen? Let us know in the comments below!