Michigan sensation Aidan Hutchinson carries on family football tradition
Editor’s note: The Detroit Lions selected DE Aidan Hutchinson with the No. 2 pick in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft on April 28.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (BVM) — University of Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is making his dreams come true.
The star defender from Dearborn, Michigan’s Divine Child High School capped off his college career with a record-setting season. He is now considered the consensus favorite to be selected No. 1 overall in April’s NFL Draft.
Hutchinson joined the Wolverines’ starting unit as a sophomore. He showed tremendous progress and solidified his role as a defensive stalwart recording 69 total tackles. Yet he would face major adversity along the way. Early into his junior year, he sustained a broken ankle during a game at Indiana.
This only proved to strengthen his resolve. Following the injury, Hutchinson had successful surgery and focused on rehab to return for his senior campaign.
All of the pieces fell into place as he thrived under first-year defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald. In fact, he made school history and set a new single-season record at Michigan with 14 sacks.
In recognition, Hutchinson received unanimous All-America honors. Plus, he added a number of other prestigious awards.
The 6-foot-6 standout didn’t have to search far to find inspiration. He found his passion for football right at home. If the No. 97 looks familiar to Michigan fans, there is a good reason.
His dad, Dr. Chris Hutchinson, also wore No. 97 and once starred on the Michigan defense himself. Father and son each earned distinction as All-Americans. Chris even served as a team captain for the Wolverines as well.
These days, Chris practices medicine, working as an emergency room physician at William Beaumont Hospital. In addition, he serves on the faculty at Oakland University Beaumont School of Medicine.
Chris shared some thoughts on his son’s time playing for Michigan.
“We watched him play his freshman year, you knew he was very young,” he said. “But you also knew that, with time in the weight room and coaching, he is going to get better. You saw his sophomore year and he made significant strides. But we still felt that he was on this steep slope up. His junior year got cut short, but you could see the progress that he made.”
Beyond that, Chris opened up about Aidan’s spectacular senior year.
“Could I have told you he was going to break my record, and do all these sorts of things and be Heisman runner-up? No, but I think certain things have to fall in a certain direction for people to have that sort of success, and it did,” he said. “The team had success, they won the Big Ten, he [Aidan] had a great game in the Ohio State game on top of an excellent season he already had, so these sorts of things just built on each other and it made for one of the best defensive players in Michigan football history.”
And he should know. Chris holds a place as one of the all-time Michigan football greats.
“It’s five Big Ten championships, it’s playing in four Rose Bowls, it’s being part of a Heisman Trophy winner [Desmond Howard in 1991],” Chris recalled of his Michigan days. “And then just all of the guys that I played with, the staff and everybody that’s still around Michigan. And going back to visit, so many of them are still there. The friendships and bonds that we’ve had, that is truly what makes the game of college football great.”
Additionally, he revealed the biggest lessons he has taught Aidan about the game.
“Probably something that started even before he started playing football,” Chris said. “He and his two older sisters, all I ever said to them was ‘I don’t care if you’re any good, but you’re gonna try hard.’ So it was very important that effort, dedication and commitment were part of what you do and obviously that’s a huge life lesson as well. When they’re that young you have no idea they’re going to end up being a first-round draft pick. So you try to teach them things that are going to help them for the rest of their lives.”
That’s straight from the heart.
