Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirms what many suspected about recent decision on former Vols QB Hendon Hooker
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is battling veteran Kyle Allen for the Detroit Lions’ No. 2 quarterback job. Hooker, who is entering his third season with the Lions, started Detroit’s second preseason game this past week — a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. And unfortunately for Hooker, it wasn’t a great performance. The former […]
Former Tennessee Vols quarterback Hendon Hooker is battling veteran Kyle Allen for the Detroit Lions’ No. 2 quarterback job.
Hooker, who is entering his third season with the Lions, started Detroit’s second preseason game this past week — a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons. And unfortunately for Hooker, it wasn’t a great performance.
The former Vol completed 7-of-10 passes for 38 yards. He also rushed three times for 27 yards and lost two fumbles.
Hooker was benched in the second quarter for Allen.
The expectation going into the game against Atlanta was that Hooker would play the entire first half. Allen started Detroit’s first preseason game, and Hooker then entered that game on the Lions’ first drive of the second half. That’s why it was a bit of a surprise when Allen entered the game in the first half.
Many fans and analysts assumed that Hooker was benched because of his two turnovers.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell met with reporters on Monday and confirmed that the fumbles were the reason Hooker was removed from the game in the second half.
Campbell also made some comments about Allen that probably don’t bode well for Hooker’s chances of winning the backup job.
“I thought Kyle (Allen) played really well,” Campbell said when asked about the backup quarterback battle. “I was fired up. I mean, [he] was outstanding. He comes in the game, he wasn’t gonna play until the second half. . . he gets out there and immediately gives us a boost.”
“Just turning the ball over,” continued Campbell when asked why Hooker was removed from the game in the first half. “That was the big [thing], because look, Hooker made some good throws before. He was doing a few things. But we got to get more work taking care of the ball. If you decide you’re going to be a runner, you got to tuck it away, like any runner does. Two hands on the ball in the pocket when you go to step up. So it’s all the fundamentals that we talk about. So we just need more work at that. And then he’ll get to play.”
With just two preseason games remaining, Hooker is running out of time to make his mark in the backup quarterback competition. And after the rocky start against the Falcons, it seems unlikely that the former Vol can do enough to pass Allen in this battle before the preseason ends.
Hooker could be looking for a new NFL home before the start of the 2025 season. That might not be a bad thing — sometimes a fresh start can completely change the direction of a player’s career.
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