Detroit Lions activate Hendon Hooker from injured reserve

The Detroit Lions announced Tuesday they’ve activated rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker from the reserve/non-football injury list (NFI).

Detroit waived kicker Riley Patterson in a corresponding move. Hooker, the third-round pick out of Tennessee, had been on the NFI list since July, recovering from a torn ACL he sustained during his senior season last November. The Lions opened the 21-day window for Hooker to come off injured reserve last month, allowing him to practice with his teammates for the first time.

“Just taking it day-by-day, continuing to build my legs, continuing to build my mental positive direction to get back to a better me,” Hooker said, via MLive.com. “Now that I’m here actually able to go through practice and run through the plays and get under center and actually take some snaps — which has been a little bit foreign since I’ve been playing shotgun in the past six years — but it just feels good to actually be a baller again.”

Dan Campbell speaks on Hendon Hooker’s progress

Head coach Dan Campbell said that Hooker has looked good thus far in practice.

“It’s good to get him out there,” Campbell said. “I know he’s excited to feel like he’s now part of the team. From his perspective, it’s hard when you’re limited to, ‘I’m in meetings and that’s about it, then I go and rehab.’ So I know he’s excited to be out there, and we’re just in the beginning stages of it.

“You can see, just when he throws the ball, why we acquired him. He’s got a poise about him and he’s got a really smooth delivery. Tight spiral. But he’s just starting. He’s just starting. It’s good to get him out there.”

Hooker, who transferred to Tennessee from Virginia Tech following the 2020 season, was one of the best quarterbacks in the nation during his two seasons in Knoxville. In 24 games, he threw for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns and five interceptions on 68.9% passing. Hooker was one of the favorites for the 2022 Heisman Trophy before the injury. He finished fifth in voting.