Hendon Hooker receives glowing review from Dan Campbell after start of training camp
By Mark Kern
Published:
Hendon Hooker is entering Year 3 for the Detroit Lions, and was able to see a few snaps last season after missing all of his rookie season with an injury. He completed 6-of-9 passes for 62 yards last year.
At the start of training camp on Monday, Lions coach Dan Campbell talked about the progress Hooker has made entering that third season.
“As far as Hooker, he knows the deal, man,” Campbell said. “You’re out here to compete. We gave him some things to do while he was home. Working a little bit on the urgency and the footwork. You know, certainly continue training. Look, it’s only one day, but I liked what I saw from him yesterday. There was a sense of urgency; I thought his footwork was on, and I thought he was spitting the plays out. But, there again, it was day one.”
RELATED: Don’t miss any of the top betting options in your area. Find an app that works for you from our favorite Tennessee sports betting apps.
Hooker began his college career at Virginia Tech, but it was when he transferred to Tennessee in 2021 that the quarterback became a household name. In his 2 seasons in Knoxville, he threw for 6,080 yards with 58 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions. He also rushed for 1,050 yards and 10 touchdowns, showing that he is a guy who can make plays with both his arm as well as his legs.
However, late in the 2022 season, he tore his ACL. That injury dampened his draft stock, and he untimely ended up missing his rookie season.
Jared Goff is the bonafide No. 1 starter in Detroit, but this is the first off-season where Hooker is fully healthy and not rehabbing from an injury. He has a big opportunity to solidify himself as the No. 2 guy in Detroit, and Campbell has liked what he has seen early in training camp from Hooker.
