Aidan Hutchinson was already considered a potential candidate for the “Defensive Player of the Year” award during the 2024 season before he suffered a serious injury. Now he wants to make up for it in the 2026 season.

Aidan Hutchinson of the Detroit Lions has set high goals for the 2026 season. “Do I have ambitions to win the ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ title? Yes, I always have that mindset, definitely,” he told the Lions’ media.

In 2024, Hutchinson was considered the top favorite for the award before his season was cut short by a serious leg injury. In 2025, Hutchinson said, he was happy to be back on the field and to have signed a long-term contract extension with the Lions.

Hutchinson: “Getting my body back in top shape”

“I’m really happy with the past year and what I’ve accomplished, even though so much was going on—whether it was the contract or people’s expectations after I broke my leg. A lot has happened,” Hutchinson said.

He continued: “Given my performance, I’m very satisfied with how the year went. And this year, I have a full offseason to train and get my body back in top shape.”

The defensive end was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Over four seasons, he played a total of 56 games, recording 176 tackles and 43 sacks. In the 2025 season alone, he recorded 14.5 sacks. In October 2025, the 25-year-old signed a four-year contract worth up to $180 million.

In 2025, Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns was named “Defensive Player of the Year”; in the 2024 season, it was Patrick Surtain II of the Denver Broncos.