WATCH: Aidan Hutchinson explains custom message inside suit jacket made by mom at NFL Draft
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson has been telling himself for a long time that he belongs in the NFL. The proof is inside of his suit jacket, which his mom inscribed with the manifestations Hutchinson wrote in his journal over the past five years.
Hutchinson, who is expected to be taken with either the first or second pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Thursday, proudly wore that suit as he walked down the red carpet in Las Vegas. Speaking with Michael Irvin and Melissa Stark, Hutchinson told the story behind the suit jacket and how he used his manifestations to motivate himself throughout his college career.
“My mom made this on the inside of my jacket,” the defensive end explained. “It’s all of the manifestations from my journals over the past five years. You can see it on both sides. ‘Breathe in God,’ that’s one of the mantras I always tell myself. ‘I will be a first team All-American. I will be a Heisman finalist.’ Something I wrote my freshman year and it ended up coming true. I said ‘I will run a 4.7,’ and I ended up running a 4.7. It’s just a lot of things that I really called.”
Hutchinson was the only defensive player to be named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy this past season, so seeing him write out that goal in his journal should be inspiring to anyone watching. The suit jacket wasn’t the only piece of his family he held close with him, however. He was also seen wearing a dog tag that belonged to his great grandfather, a World War II veteran.
“This piece right here, my great grandfather served in World War II,” Hutchinson told the NFL Network crew. “He was one of the select few who actually made it out alive. I’m just commemorating him here today with this dog tag. It’s something that me and my mom, we wear his dog tag all the time. Being able to wear this and commemorate him for making it out, it’s awesome. His name is Joseph Bernardi and that’s my middle name: Aidan Joseph Bernardi Hutchinson. He definitely means a lot to the family.”
Hutchinson, who played in 43 career games at Michigan, was a consensus All-American in 2021 and a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. He was also twice named a captain of the team and has a laundry list of other awards he racked up following this past season. Hutchinson is the program record-holder for sacks in a single season, notching 14 for the Wolverines in 2021.
Aidan Hutchinson now awaits to find out where he will be headed for his rookie season in the NFL when the draft kicks off at 8 p.m. ET Thursday.