Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker played in a football game for the first time since 2022 with the Tennessee Volunteers. He tore his ACL when he was with Tennessee. Hooker played for the Lions in the second half against the New York Giants, but Detroit lost to New York 14-3.
It isn’t the score that matters here. What matters is that he finally saw real live-game action, but Hooker suffered a concussion after the game. Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell told NFL.com’s Kevin Parta:
“Yeah, he got a concussion, so he’s obviously in the protocol and he’ll be evaluated. I don’t know how long it’s going to be. I know he got his bell rung, so that’s what that was. Obviously, we would have loved to have gotten more time with him, but that’s one of those things that happens. One of his runs there he must have gotten it.”
Hooker had an interesting run in the second half against the New York Giants. Here is the video of it:
Hendon Hooker is playing in a game setting for the first time in two years and UNLEASHED the truck stick
pic.twitter.com/iLJoxLMg6u— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) August 9, 2024
Hooker completed 5-of-9 passes for 36 yards. He also rushed for 34 yards on four carries for the Lions.
Detroit Lions Fans Want Hendon Hooker As the Backup Quarterback Over Nate Sudfeld
There are always preseason overractions. Lions fans want Hooker as the backup quarterback to Jared Goff over Nate Sudfeld. This is what some of Detroit’s fans had to say:
So we all agree, Hendon Hooker is QB2 right? #OnePride
— Lions Luvr (Official) (@LionsLuvr) August 9, 2024
Such an impressive debut from Hendon Hooker last night. His ability to generate yards with his legs to create 3rd and short downs instead of 3rd and long is a HUGE benefit 👍🏾 #Lions pic.twitter.com/QfFtLQrbbY
— Eric Vincent (@IAmEricVincent) August 9, 2024
The lions backup QB Sudfeld played like absolute trash he may have had the worst backup QB performance in a preseason game ever! If Goff gets injured you better hope Hendon Hooker is out there instead!!!
— Carter (@SteelersOnTop3) August 9, 2024
There is no doubt that the Detroit Lions fanbase is on the same page with Hendon Hooker and Nate Sudfeld. Sudfeld is listed as the Lions backup quarterback on the depth chart at the moment over Hooker. We will see how long he is sidelined with a concussion.
Sudfeld completed 13-of-24 passes for 96 yards and one interception. It was a not very good outing for him against the Giants and the Lions fanbase saw more juice with Hooker than Sudfeld.
The Detroit Lions will have two more preseason games before the start of the 2024 season. Hendon Hooker was a third-round pick (68th overall selection) in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Tennessee. It would be a good story for him to make the 53-man roster and be Jared Goff’s backup because they need a reliable backup behind him.
