aidan-hutchinson.jpg
Getty Images

In October, Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson suffered a serious season-ending leg injury. But just six months after fracturing his tibia and fibula, the edge rusher is back on the field. Hutchinson posted a video of himself sprinting at the Lions practice facility, and it's something fans will be thrilled to see.

Here's a look at Hutchinson back on the gridiron, with the 24-year-old wearing a brace on his injured left leg:

Earlier this month, Lions general manager Brad Holmes expressed that he feels good about where his star defensive end is in his recovery. 

"I've seen enough movement and mobility on running in this stage that I feel very confident about where he's gonna be at," Holmes said.

At the NFL Scouting Combine, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard also had positive things to say about Hutchinson's road back to the field: "I have full confidence he's going to be back to health. Hutch is a dynamic player."

The injury occurred during a 47-9 win over the Cowboys when Hutchinson went down after sacking Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott. He was immediately ruled out and left on a stretcher. After the injury, head coach Dan Campbell said Hutchinson would be out for four to six months, which would put his timetable to return as right about now. Based on the video Hutchinson posted, it seems like he'll be ready to go once the pads come on in July for training camp, but it'll be interesting to see if he's back sooner.

As a major piece to the Lions locker room, Hutchinson was a significant loss for the team. He came into the game leading the league in sacks with 6.5, quarterback hits with 14 and quarterback pressures with 40. He finished the season with 7.5 sacks, 19 tackles, including 12 solo tackles, and one forced fumble in five games. 

Hutchinson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft out of Michigan, is entering his fourth season in the league, playing in and starting all 17 games the first two years of his career. His fourth year will really begin to kick off later this month, when players and teams begin their offseason work. The Lions offseason program begins April 22 with the first wave of their OTAs (organized team activities) scheduled for May 28. 

NFL on Christmas: Lions president hints Detroit could play in holiday tripleheader as well as Thanksgiving
Jeff Kerr
NFL on Christmas: Lions president hints Detroit could play in holiday tripleheader as well as Thanksgiving