Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson recently made some eye-opening comments regarding the state of the team following major coaching changes.
The Lions have undergone significant shifts early in the offseason, with offensive coordinator Ben Johnson departing for the Chicago Bears and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn taking over as head coach of the New York Jets. Despite these changes, Hutchinson remains confident in the team’s foundation.
Hutchinson Downplays Coaching Departures
During an appearance on The Squeeze podcast with Tay and Taylor Lautner on February 19, Hutchinson was asked about the impact of losing both coordinators. His response was unexpectedly blunt—he emphasized that the team’s success is determined by the players rather than the coaching staff.
“I don’t care who they bring in,” Hutchinson said. “Obviously, keeping Dan [Campbell] is what we all want, but coordinators and position coaches don’t matter as much. As long as we have the right guys in the locker room—those key players on both sides of the ball—anyone can step in and call the plays.”
He further stressed that the players are the ones who execute on game day. “At the end of the day, the playmakers are the ones making things happen on Sundays. As long as we keep our core together, we’ll remain in a position to win.”
Hutchinson’s candid take has drawn attention from NFL analysts, some of whom were surprised by his choice of words. Brad Berreman of SideLion Report acknowledged that while Hutchinson’s point may be valid, the way he phrased it could have been more tactful. “He essentially said that the Lions’ success isn’t dependent on their play-callers, which might be true, but there are better ways to express that,” Berreman wrote on February 22.
Hutchinson’s Interest in Teaming Up with Myles Garrett
In the same podcast episode, Hutchinson also discussed the idea of playing alongside Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett. Although he admitted it’s unlikely, he couldn’t help but imagine the impact they could make together.
“If me and Myles were to team up, it would be dangerous,” Hutchinson said. “We talked at [the NFL Honors] about what could be, and although it’s probably not going to happen, I’d love to play next to him. It would take our defensive line to another level and make us a scary unit.”
Both Hutchinson and Garrett ranked at the top of Pro Football Focus’ pass-rushing grades last season, further fueling speculation about what such a pairing could achieve.
