The Detroit Lions are adding third-round draft pick and former Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker to the active roster from the reserve/non-football injury list on Tuesday. The news was first reported by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and confirmed by the Lions on social media.
#Lions have waived K Riley Patterson and activated QB Hendon Hooker from Reserve/NFI
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 19, 2023
Lions head coach Dan Campbell revealed on Monday that the Lions originally planned to activate the former Vol on Wednesday, which marks the end of his 21-day return to practice window.
Hendon Hooker has spent the season on the NFI (non-football injury) list due to his season-ending ACL tear against South Carolina at the end of the 2022 college football season and has been on the NFI list since the end of training camp. The NFI designation allowed Hooker to participate in team and position meetings but he was unable to practice with the Lions throughout the season.
"You can see when he throws the ball why we acquired him."
Dan Campbell on Hendon Hooker returning to practice pic.twitter.com/X3VftPjnNf
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) December 1, 2023
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With Hooker coming off of rehab and not having played in a live game since the injury occurred in Columbia on Nov. 19, 2022, Hooker will likely serve as the third-string quarterback to starter Jared Goff and backup Teddy Bridgewater. The Lions brought in Bridgewater over the offseason to give Goff a veteran backup with Hooker injured, but Bridgewater recently revealed that he plans to retire after the 2023 season and move into the high school coaching world.
The 21-day return to practice window began on Nov. 29 when Hooker began joining practice as the Lions officially moved him onto the 53-man roster on Tuesday.
The Hendon Hooker practice debut is here 👀
The rookie QB out of Tennessee wears number 12 for the #Lions pic.twitter.com/ydoHoP1pff
— Matt Broder (@mattbro21) November 29, 2023
Former Vol Hendon Hooker was back in Knoxville just days before he started practicing with the Lions for the Tennessee Vols’ home game against Vanderbilt on November 25.
Hooker was taken with the 68th overall pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Lions despite not being able to participate in the Reese’s Senior Bowl or the NFL Combine as one of the top quarterback prospects in the class.
The Detroit Free Press’s Dave Birkett wrote in August that the Detroit Lions had plans to activate the rookie quarterback at some point during the season.
“Hendon Hooker could open the season on the non-football injury list at next week’s roster cut deadline, but the Detroit Lions are planning to have the rookie quarterback on their 53-man roster at some point this fall,” Birkett wrote in August for the Detroit Free Press.
That day has now come.
The Detroit Lions have three games remaining on the 2023-2024 regular-season schedule:
- Sunday, Dec. 24 – at Minnesota Vikings
- Saturday, Dec. 30 – at Dallas Cowboys
- Sunday, Jan. 7 – vs Minnesota Vikings
2 Responses
Don’t publish my email
Best move you made this season. He will do great given a chance.