When the Detroit Lions selected quarterback Hendon Hooker in the third round (pick No. 68 overall) during the 2023 draft, they anticipated he would essentially have a redshirt rookie season as he recuperated from a torn ACL sustained late in his final college year at Tennessee.
Entering last season, Hooker was favored to secure the Lions’ No. 2 quarterback position. A persistent finger injury affected his performance from OTAs into training camp, delaying his rise over the unimpressive Nate Sudfeld in the competition for the spot.
Hooker gained some experience in the Lions’ significant victories against the Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, and Jacksonville Jaguars during the regular season. However, amid speculation regarding interest in Daniel Jones and the late-December signing of Teddy Bridgewater, doubts about Hooker’s future with the Lions have emerged.
Bridgewater was promoted to the No. 2 quarterback role over Hooker for the playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders, indicating the Lions might seek a different backup for Jared Goff.
In last Friday’s edition of “PFT Live” with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, NBC “Sunday Night Football” analyst Rodney Harrison identified the New York Jets as a prime candidate to trade for Hooker.
“I know exactly what I would do,” Harrison said. “I would call Detroit and express my interest in Hendon Hooker, their backup quarterback. He’s healthy, he was a Heisman contender before his injury at the University of Tennessee. I think this young man, whom I’ve seen play frequently, is big, intelligent, and mature, given his extended college career…I would trade for Hendon Hooker. Keep an eye on that name.”
Could the Lions have a covert strategy regarding Hendon Hooker?
Florio noted that Bridgewater’s recent acquisition, along with him being elevated over Hooker as the No. 2 for the playoff game, raises potential concerns.
Harrison continued to emphasize his admiration for Hooker, adding, “You know Mike, I’ve been thinking about that because I was really disappointed he didn’t get more chances. Then I considered, ‘this kid is really talented—perhaps they want to keep his skills hidden from the rest of the league.'”
Harrison overlooked that Hooker’s “opportunity” to play in the playoff game against the Commanders merely meant being in uniform, as he had been all season—he would only play if Jared Goff got hurt or if Detroit had another blowout win. Goff briefly left for a concussion evaluation, and Bridgewater led a single series that ended quickly after a 61-yard touchdown run by Jameson Williams.
Florio raised the possibility that if the Jets express interest in Hooker and the Lions decline to trade him, it might signal they see potential in him and “aren’t ready to utilize it.”
Florio referenced an incident from 2006 when Sean Payton left the Cowboys for the Saints and attempted to trade for Tony Romo, who later became Dallas’ starting quarterback. If the Jets or any other teams pursue Hooker and the Lions refuse to trade him, Florio questions when they might “take the baton from Jared Goff and pass it to Hendon Hooker.”
Harrison supported the idea of Hooker potentially succeeding Goff, suggesting that playing him might spark inquiries about the rationale behind the Lions’ financial commitment to Goff.
Ultimately, spurred by the notion that the Jets should show interest in Hooker, Harrison painted Hooker as a significant asset not yet fully revealed as an NFL quarterback. While it’s unclear if he could be a starter, he is already 27 years old. If the Lions indeed have a hidden agenda to eventually replace Goff with him (which seems unlikely and unwise), time is running out. Otherwise, they should be receptive to trade proposals.