Hutchinson signs four-year extension with Lions worth $180M

Aidan Hutchinson agreed to a four-year contract extension with the Detroit Lions on Wednesday, his agent Mike McCartney said, keeping the 25-year-old edge rusher in Michigan through the 2029 season. The deal is worth $180 million, including $141 million guaranteed, making it the largest guaranteed sum ever awarded to an edge rusher and paying Hutchinson an average of $45 million per year.

The contract places Hutchinson among the highest-paid players at his position. Only one other edge rusher carries a higher average annual value, and Hutchinson’s guarantees set a new mark for the role. Hutchinson was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft and has emerged as a cornerstone of Detroit’s defense since joining the team.

Hutchinson’s resume with the Lions includes 34.5 career sacks and a Pro Bowl selection. He was the runner-up for Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and totaled 11.5 sacks during the 2023 season. In 2024 he was off to a torrid start, recording 7.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hits in five games before suffering a broken tibia and fibula that ended his season. The Lions and Hutchinson have said his recovery was complete during camp, and he has returned to form in...