Detroit Lions star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson and Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy used to be teammates at Michigan, but in the NFL they're bitter division rivals, and last week they faced each other for the first time in the pros.
McCarthy took Round 1 as the Vikings squeaked out a 27-24 victory at Ford Field on the back of two touchdown throws from the second-year QB.
Hutchinson had an impressive performance as well, logging seven pressures, four hurries, two QB hits, two tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a 30.8 pass-rush win-rate, per Pro Football Focus, but he also drew a 15-yard penalty for a dangerous play against his former Michigan comrade.
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As Hutchinson bolted off the right edge midway through the second quarter, he was blocked by Vikings star left tackle Christian Darrisaw, who held Hutchinson off until the last possible second and allowed McCarthy to get the ball away before being sacked.
But seconds before the ball left McCarthy's hand, Hutchinson threw his left leg out and appeared to try and leg-whip the 22-year-old QB to disrupt the throw. Hutchinson was flagged for unnecessary roughness, and many expected him to also receive some supplementary discipline from the NFL too.
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However, when the league announced its list of fines from Week 9, Hutchinson's name was noticeably absent - a surprise to many considering the emphasis the NFL has placed on protecting its quarterbacks in recent years.
It's not the first time this season Hutchinson escaped without a fine from the league. He also avoided one for a late hit on Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes when the two teams met back in Week 6.
Video of the clearly late hit went viral on social media because of Mahomes' puzzled reaction to getting hit so late. He was, however, fined, $11,473 back in 2023 for a late hit against the Carolina Panthers.
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