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Aidan Hutchinson singing performance on Hard Knocks is an all-time great

ns_headshot_2024-clearby:Nick Schultz•08/09/22•

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Michigan Wolverines football defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was the No. 2 overall pick to the Detroit Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft. (Photo by Jeff Speer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Michigan and Detroit Lions fans are in for a treat when they watch the first episode of HBO’s “Hard Knocks.” Consider this a spoiler warning.

Aidan Hutchinson is going to sing.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Hutchinson will sing a rendition of “Billie Jean” by Michael Jackson during a team meeting in the premiere. The producers sound excited about the performance, too.

“Producers claim it may be the most entertaining rookie singing moment in show history,” a show official told Schefter.

Hutchinson was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and is one of the focal points of the revamped Lions roster in year two of the Dan Campbell Era. Detroit took him and Jameson Williams as their first-round picks to try and turn things around after a rough go in 2021.

At Michigan, Hutchinson emerged as one of the nation’s premier defenders and set the Wolverines’ single-season sacks record last season as a senior. His signature game came in the biggest game of the year against Ohio State when he had seven total tackles and 3.0 sacks to help Michigan to its first win over the Buckeyes in 10 years at The Big House.

On the whole last year, Hutchinson had 14.0 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss as part of a dominant pass rush alongside David Ojabo. He also finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting to finish as the runner-up to Alabama quarterback Bryce Young.

Dan Campbell offers high praise for Aidan Hutchinson

Campbell also sounded impressed with Hutchinson earlier this month, acknowledging his football IQ and how he carries himself around the Lions’ facilities.

“He’s very self-aware,” Campbell said, via The Detroit News. “He is. He’s not coming in here being loud and talking a bunch of trash or doing anything like that. He knows he’s got to earn his right. Just because he was a first-round pick doesn’t mean that he’s automatically got the respect of everybody in there. He’s got to earn that and he understands it.

“So, he goes out there and he just works his (butt) off in practice. And then in meetings, he keeps his mouth shut until he’s asked a question. That’s exactly what you want in a rookie. He’s going to earn their respect.”