Lions Activate QB Hendon Hooker, Cut Kicker Riley Patterson

The Detroit Lions have elevated quarterback Hendon Hooker to the main roster, making him the team’s new third-string passer behind Jared Goff and Teddy Bridgewater. The rookie out of the University of Tennessee was selected by Detroit in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Though the Lions have no intention of using Hooker for any meaningful snaps this season, the team is elevating him in order to work with him on the main roster. In order to make the space for him, the team cut kicker Riley Patterson, who has struggled all season on both field goals and extra point attempts.

Michael Badgley will now make kicks for the team.

Hooker’s NFL career has begun slowly due to an ACL injury he suffered while at Tennessee in 2022. The setback hurt his draft stock and has delayed his NFL debut. After overseeing his progress all summer and most of the regular season, Detroit opened a three-week reactivation window for Hooker in late November and finally added him to the roster Wednesday.

When Hooker first returned to practice several weeks ago, Lions head coach Dan Campbell said that he had been looking forward to working with the young quarterback.

“By rule, we can’t coach him (without activating him),” Campbell said at the time. “So, that’s why. I mean we can have him in meetings, but he can’t be out there and going through any fundamental work. You’ve just got to kind of stand there. So, that’s where it helps, to be able to actually do individual work with him, have him take a snap. That’s why it’s big.”

Some have speculated that Hooker could challenge Goff for the starting job as soon as 2024, depending on Goff’s performance this year. The current starter, who enters free agency in 2025, has led the team to a 10-4 record this year, but he has also been inconsistent at times, particularly on the road. Still, with a playoff run likely, Hooker will have to thoroughly impress coaches to take the starting job away from Goff in the near future.