Hendon Hooker
#2 QB,
Lions
ACTUAL 2022
- FPTS
RANK: -
2023 SEASON
36 FPTS
RANK: 44
AGE
25 yrs
HEIGHT/WEIGHT
6'4'' / 218 lbs
COLLEGE
Tennessee
| SEASON | GP | FPTS | RANK | PAATT | PACMP | PAYD | PATD | PAINT | COMP% | RUATT | RUYD | RUTD |
| 2023 | 3 | 36 | 44th | 52 | 33 | 360 | 2 | 1 | 63.5 | 11 | 62 | 1 |
Officially starting on NFI list
Published: 2023-08-30
The Lions placed Hooker (knee) on the reserve/non-football injury list Tuesday.
Hooker will need to miss at least the first four games of the season as he continues to progress in his recovery from a torn left ACL. Coach Dan Campbell has already said the team views the 2023 season as a "redshirt year" for the rookie third-round pick, so Detroit may not have serious plans for him to play much, if at all, until 2024 at the earliest. Teddy Bridgewater remains the top backup to Jared Goff, with Adrian Martinez in place as the No. 3 quarterback.
Weekly Stats 2022
Stats not availablePerformance Splits 2020 to 2022
Stats not availableCareer Stats
Stats not availablePlaced on NFI list
Published: 2023-07-20
The Lions are placing Hooker (knee) on the Non-Football Injury List to start training camp, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
This is expected given that coach Dan Campbell said he views 2023 as a "redshirt year" for the rookie third-round pick. At this point, it's unclear if Hooker will come off the NFI list and begin practicing with teammates at some point this summer or stay on the list into the regular season and be ineligible for the first four games. Either way, he's not expected to play much (if at all) as a 25-year-old rookie, after suffering an ACL tear last November. The injury ended his two-season run at Tennessee, where he completed 68.8 percent of his passes for 9.6 YPA and threw 58 TDs against only five INTs.
Headed for redshirt year
Published: 2023-05-10
Head coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday on the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast that he doesn't anticipate Hooker (knee) playing during his rookie season. "Really, this is a redshirt year for him," Campbell said. "He's got to get this leg right first and then he'll learn under Jared [Goff], and then let's see what happens. If he can eventually become your two or maybe down the road, later on, it's more than that, but it's going to be a long time."
The main question within the Lions quarterback room regards the future of Goff, whose release after the upcoming season would only cost Detroit $5 million in dead money. After that comes Hooker's acclimation to the NFL, as the Tennessee product who tore the ACL in his left knee last November remains without a clear timeline to resume full activities. Should Hooker miss most or all of the offseason, it seems unrealistic to think he could give the Lions much of a reason to move off of Goff in 2024 without having much practice time under his belt.
Detroit ends fall in Round 3
Published: 2023-04-28
The Lions selected Hooker (knee) in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, 68th overall.
Hooker tore his ACL in November and might need a redshirt season in 2023 as a result, but whenever he's healthy he should give Detroit an interesting developmental quarterback behind Jared Goff. That Hooker turned 25 in January and played in an extremely favorable system at Tennessee undermines his otherwise excellent production with the Volunteers, where he threw for 58 touchdowns compared to just five interceptions in his final 24 collegiate games. To Hooker's credit he was a good player at Virginia Tech before that, too, and at both schools he proved an effective volume runner. Hooker is a total wild card, but the Lions had a lot of picks in the 2023 Draft and relatively few needs, leaving Detroit in good position to make this gamble.
Making progress in rehab
Published: 2023-04-26
Hooker (knee) posted a video Wednesday on his personal Twitter account featuring him taking dropbacks for the first time since suffering an ACL tear in November.
Hooker has been optimistic about his rehab from knee surgery, saying in early March that he expected to be ready for training camp, and more recently telling Jeff Howe of The Athletic that he will be "cleared 100 percent" by Sept. 1. While receiving full clearance for the start of camp seems unlikely, Hooker should have a chance to be ready by Week 1, though he'll presumably be a second- or third-stringer at that point. The 25-year-old's age is another major concern for teams, potentially making him a Day 2 pick rather than a Day 1 selection even after he threw 58 touchdowns against five interceptions during his final two years of college at Tennessee.
On track for '23
Published: 2023-03-04
Hooker (knee) expects to be ready for the starting of training camp, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Hooker underwent ACL surgery just three months prior, but medical testing at the NFL Combine appears to confirm the 25-year-old signal caller is on track to play ahead of the 2023 season. Hooker is not expected to do many activities at the NFL Combine, and he'll also likely be limited ahead of the Tennessee Volunteers' Pro Day later this month.
Will not throw at combine
Published: 2023-02-27
Hooker (knee) will not throw at this week's NFL Combine, Jordan Schultz of TheScore.com reports.
The Tennessee product is just a few months removed from ACL surgery and though he's no longer using crutches, he is not quite ready to throw in front of scouts. Previous reports indicated that Hooker could be ready to run in some capacity by the end of March, which could give him a chance to participate at Tennessee's Pro Day. Hooker, who tore his ACL against South Carolina in November, had a remarkable 2022 season with 27 touchdowns and two interceptions while completing 70 percent of his passes. Injury and age -- he turned 25 in January -- complicate his draft stock but his production and tools could keep him in the Day 2 range.
Plans to run by late March
Published: 2023-01-30
Hooker (knee) said Monday that he no longer requires the assistance of crutches and expects to be ready to resume running by late March, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
The 25-year-old Hooker is making the jump to the NFL after he had his sixth season of college football cut short due to an ACL tear of his left knee suffered Nov. 19. Before sustaining the knee injury and undergoing surgery Dec. 13, Hooker was in the midst of a brilliant season at Tennessee and ultimately finished the campaign with a 69.6 completion rate for 9.5 yards per attempt, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions to go with 430 yards and five scores on the ground over his 11 games. Despite his exceptional production, Hooker's advanced age for a college player as well as his ongoing recovery from surgery removes him from the ranks of the top quarterback prospects of this year's draft class, but he at least looks like he'll be on pace to be near 100 percent health before NFL training camps commence in late July.