According to his agent, Mike McCartney, the Detroit Lions’ budding superstar agreed to a four-year contract extension Wednesday. Top-tier pass rushers broke into the $40 million-per-year compensation level earlier this year − the Green Bay Packers’ Micah Parsons, Pittsburgh Steelers’ T.J. Watt and Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett all hitting that benchmark. Now, Hutchinson joins them, too.
The 25-year-old product from the University of Michigan will slot into second place on that wage scale behind Parsons, getting $180 million ($45 million annual average) with $141 million of it guaranteed. McCartney confirmed the financial aspects of Hutchinson’s big payday to USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. The guaranteed portion of the mega pact represents a new record for defensive ends and outside linebackers.
Arguably the face of the Lions’ franchise but definitely one of them, Hutchinson has landed the second-most lucrative extension in club history after quarterback Jared Goff ($212 million over four years). Hutchinson is now contractually tied to the organization through the 2030 season.
It’s barely been a year since Hutchinson suffered a gruesome broken leg against the Dallas Cowboys that prematurely ended his 2024 season and, in large part, eventually dashed the Lions’ hopes of reaching Super Bowl 59.
But the No. 2 overall pick of the 2022 NFL draft has seemingly recovered fully following an arduous rehabilitation. He’s tied for seventh in the league with six sacks and currently rated by PFF as the NFL’s No. 2 overall edge defender. The analytics site credits him with a league-best 48 pressures.
Coming out of their bye week, Hutchinson and the Lions host the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field on Sunday.