Hendon Hooker ‘Working My Tail Off’ To Get Healthy

Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker is doing everything he can to play despite the fact he’s still injured. 

Hendon Hooker is a somewhat unusual draft pick by the Detroit Lions. At 25 years old, he’s old for a rookie.

As well as that, he’s still recovering from a torn left ACL he sustained in November 2022. In his final two seasons at Tennessee, Hendon Hooker threw for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns and five interceptions in 24 games.

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While he’ll eventually back up Jared Goff when he’s healthy, the pressure isn’t on Hooker to produce right away. 

“Really, this is a redshirt year for him,” head coach Dan Campbell said.

“He’s got to get this leg right first and then he’ll learn under Jared (Goff), and then let’s see what happens. If he can eventually become your two or maybe down the road, later on, it’s more than that, but it’s going to be a long time.”

“Entering this first year is the same motto, same mentality I’ve had all my life, let’s get better every day,” Hooker said.

“You’ll never stay the same, you either get better or you get worse. I don’t wanna have any decline in my game so I’m continuing to work my tail off, day-to-day. Mental reps, taking reps behind the quarterbacks that are in and just playing the game in my mind until I can actually get out there but I’m still preparing and I’m hungry. I’m ready to compete.”

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“Honestly, I would like to be ready tomorrow, if I could. But, I’m taking it day-by-day,” Hooker said.

“When my leg is 100 percent healed and everything else is moving fluently, and working together, I’ll be ready to go.”