ALLEN PARK -- It sounds cool to have the most guaranteed money ever committed to a non-quarterback in the NFL.
But Aidan Hutchinson knows that mark ($141 million) will eventually be passed. And despite how cool that sounds, he’s happy to move on from the process and put all the contract talk behind him.
The Lions and Hutchinson agreed to a four-year contract worth $180 million, with $141 million guaranteed. Hutchinson said he remained hands-off in the process, letting his agent and family handle the business side, but he’s thrilled to get it done.
“It was great,” Hutchinson said. “But I feel like me hearing the news and hearing the offer coming in, to me, you get that, like, deep relief, almost, that the negotiations are over with and you can really just put -- I was uninvolved in the process, so it wasn’t too much focus (for me). But I think, as uninvolved as you are, it’s still something that’s there -- Now, I feel like with that not being there, I’m all-in.
“While a lot of those numbers are fun to look at and it’s cool and it’s such a blessing, in order for me to keep putting one foot in front of the other and keep looking forward, I have to focus on my play and my evolution as a player. And because to me, when I see that, that fires me up more than, more than money ever would.”
Among those to reach out to Hutchinson were former NFL pass-rushing greats Michael Strahan and J.J. Watt. He said receiving those texts from inside and outside of Allen Park has been a cool blessing. But Hutchinson noted how we woke up the same today, went into Allen Park, “and it’s Thursday practice all over again,” despite the big new deal.
“It’s like, not much really changes. And I’m also in year four. So looking (ahead), you’re like, this thing isn’t even hitting until -- it’s funny when you look at the grand scheme of things,” Hutchinson said. “But again, while it’s great news, it’s all Minnesota in my brain right now when I’m thinking about this week.”
Hutchinson’s new deal will kick in after his rookie contract runs out, meaning he’s under team control through 2030. General manager Brad Holmes and the Lions have spent a ton of money retaining their draft picks and key players. They have spent nearly $1 billion to re-sign nine cornerstone players.
Those players are Jared Goff ($212 million), right tackle Penei Sewell ($112 million), receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown ($120.01 million), safety Kerby Joseph ($85 million), defensive lineman Alim McNeill ($97 million), left tackle Taylor Decker ($60 million), running back David Montgomery ($18.25 million), receiver Jameson Williams ($80 million), and now, Hutchinson ($181 million).
Williams said looking around and seeing the same guys in the building and players get rewarded is huge. Williams said they have a real-deal shot at getting a championship, and with the core secured, “we can go back to back or back to back to back.”
“I think everybody knows we have the pieces,” Hutchinson said when asked about Williams’ comments. “We just got to go out there and do it. You know, we know we have the talent and we have the coaches to do it and the culture.
“Everything’s set and in place, and last year was what it was, but this year -- That will always be the goal with this group.”
Hutchinson has been a force to be reckoned with since entering the league as the second overall pick in 2022. He has 34.5 sacks, 36 tackles for loss, eight forced fumbles and four interceptions across 46 games in parts of four seasons played.
This year, he once again leads the NFL in pressures and has posted a sack in five of the last six games while forcing or recovering a fumble in five straight. Hutchinson does all this while playing a ton of snaps, with defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard joking they “just gave him half the building, so he needs to play 95% (of the snaps).”
“He’s a tremendous, tremendous athlete, superior athlete,” Sheppard said. “And not by God-gifted talent, I’m talking about hard work and dedication. And he’s conditioned his mind, his body to do that. Again, you try to pull Hutch off the field -- It’s not disrespectful. He’s never saying, ‘Why are y’all taking me out?’ It’s, ‘I want to be out there,’ because that may be the one play that changes the outcome of the game ... if he can handle it, why take anything off of him if he’s handling it well?”
Hutchinson joked that Sheppard and the Lions want to milk him for everything that he’s worth now. His defensive teammates are also expecting a little something extra moving forward, as well.
Lions safety Kerby Joseph said he’s expecting a dinner on Hutchinson. And the D-line is already thinking big things about Christmas.
“I think the D-line, they are expecting a Christmas present this year, so I will have to deliver on that,” Hutchinson said. “I’ve already got some stuff in the works that I’ve been thinking about.
“... I haven’t really thought about it, as you can tell. I’m really just trying to beat Minnesota on Sunday.”
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