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Hendon Hooker 'knows what it is' in battle for Detroit Lions backup quarterback job

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey07/26/25GrantRamey
Detroit Lions QB Hendon Hooker
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Detroit Lions gave Hendon Hooker homework over the offseason. According to head coach Dan Campbell, the former Tennessee Football quarterback has made passing grades to start training camp.  

“We gave him some things to do while he’s home,” Campbell said earlier this week, “talking about working on the urgency, the footwork. He’ll certainly continue training.” 

“And look,” Campbell continued, “it’s only one day, but I like what I saw out there (on Tuesday). There’s an urgency. I thought his footwork was on. I thought he was spitting the plays out. But there again, it’s Day 1.” 

Hendon Hooker 2024 preseason: 29-44, 300 passing yards, 138 rushing yards, 2 TDs

Hooker is entering his third year in the NFL but just his second on the field, after missing the 2023 season while coming back from the torn ACL that ended his Tennessee career in November 2022. 

The Lions in May 2024 signed starting quarterback Jared Goff to a four-year, $212 million contract that runs through the 2028 season. Hooker is currently on a four-year, $5.7 million rookie contract that runs through the 2026 season. 

According to Spotrac, Hooker’s career earnings to date are $2.66 million. He carries a cap hit of $1.55 million this season and is set to make $1.81 million in 2026, before becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2027 at the age of 29.

The Lions took Hooker in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting at No. 68 overall. He was the fifth quarterback taken in the draft. 

Hooker is one of three quarterbacks on Detroit’s roster, backing up Goff while seven-year veteran Kyle Allen is also fighting for the backup job. The Lions signed Allen as an unrestricted free agent in March after he spent last season in Pittsburgh.

Allen was running the second-team offense in training camp on Friday. 

“Hooker knows the deal, man,” Campbell said. “You’re out here to compete, you know?”

‘He knows it’s time to take the next step. So it’s his move’

Hooker appeared in three games of the Lions last season, completing 6 of 9 passes for 62 yards. He had a long of 21 yards and averaged 6.9 yards per attempt.

Allen has appeared in 31 games over his seven seasons — spent with five different teams — and has thrown for 4,753 yards, 26 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He started 12 games for the Carolina Panthers in 2019 and four in 2020 with Washington. 

In the 2024 preseason, Hooker completed 29 of 44 passes (65.9%) for 300 yards, to go with 138 rushing yards. He had two total touchdowns and one interception.

“He knows what it is,” Campbell said of Hooker. “He knows it’s time to take the next step. So it’s his move. I think he’s wired right and it means something to him. So here we go, man, it’s an open camp.”

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