The Detroit Lions were dominant in a 47-9 blowout victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, but the win came with a significant setback.
Star defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, a key player for Detroit and a candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, was injured while sacking Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the second half. As Hutchinson brought Prescott down, he appeared to be in immediate pain and remained on the ground. A cart was brought onto the field to assist him.
Replays showed Hutchinson’s leg colliding with a teammate as he spun to complete the sack, resulting in what seemed to be a severe injury. Players from both teams gathered as Hutchinson was carted off the field, and an air cast was applied to his left leg.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell later confirmed that Hutchinson had sustained a fractured leg and would remain in Dallas for surgery. While the exact timeline for his recovery is unclear, the injury was confirmed to be a tibia fracture, though not as severe as initially feared.
“He’s in good hands,” Campbell said. “He’s being taken care of … Obviously, he’ll be out for a while, which is tough. Losing a player like him is hard.”
At the time of Hutchinson’s injury, the Lions were leading the Cowboys 34-6 and on track to improve to 4-1. Detroit has emerged as one of the top teams in the NFL this season, but Hutchinson’s absence could be a major blow to their aspirations of reaching their first-ever Super Bowl.