Aidan Hutchinson suffered a leg injury during the first quarter Sunday’s game in Germany. He might also be fined by the NFL for an uncalled hip-drop tackle on the same play.
It could be a brutal double-whammy.
The National Football League will review the incident in the coming days and determine whether a punishment is deserved. Rarely is this kind of illegal tackle called on the field.
Aidan Hutchinson suffered a freak injury on a sack celebration.
The Detroit Lions are one of the best teams in the league this season. Their defense is a big part of their success. Aidan Hutchinson is perhaps the biggest catalyst for the defense. If he is not directly involved in the play, his presence on the edge requires the offense to dedicate additional resources on his side of the field.
Unfortunately, it seems likely that Hutchinson will miss a few games with a leg injury, if not the rest of the season.
The injury occurred on a celebration. Hutchinson jumped into the air to celebrate a sack and landed awkwardly. His right knee appeared to collapse inward. Here is the best look at what happened from multiple angles:
Aidan Hutchinson right knee injury video – 2 views
— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) November 15, 2026
-Sudden pop is highly concerning. On first view, knee appears to buckle inward which is concerning for ACL. pic.twitter.com/VYqoc5wT3e
Notice the anterior tibial shift that suddenly pops back into place as Hutchinson tries to extend his legs. That kind of awkward buckle is a big concern for the ACL.
The good news is that he was able to walk off of the field under his own power.
Aidan Hutchinson is headed to the locker room after suffering an apparent injury.
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 15, 2026
📺: FOX/FOX One pic.twitter.com/sQBNE6llQA
The bad news is that he was walking with a limp and someone who tore the ACL is often still able to walk— with a limp. Hutchinson could be out indefinitely.
The NFL could fine him for a hip-drop tackle.
Drake Maye was also ruled out of Sunday’s game with a lower body injury during the second quarter. He suffered his injury with more than seven minutes remaining in the first quarter on the same play that Aidan Hutchinson suffered his injury.
The Lions’ defensive end wrapped up the Patriots’ quarterback in the backfield for a sack. It appeared as though the former brought the latter to the ground via “hip-drop tackle.” Take a look:
#DrakeMaye @Patriots
— David J. Chao – ProFootballDoc (@ProFootballDoc) November 15, 2026
Heads to locker room
By video, mild right high ankle sprain
Caught at end of tackle pic.twitter.com/1unjYI23vL
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira claims it was not a hip-drop tackle. Three things have to happen for a hip-drop tackle to be called. A player must wrap up a ball-carrier from the side or from behind, swivel or rotate his hips, unweight himself (often by lifting their feet or going “dead weight”), and drop his full body weight directly onto the runner’s lower legs or ankles.
Pereira did not see the tackle as illegal. However, Hutchinson tackled Drake from behind, unweighted himself, and landed on the ball-carrier’s lower legs and/or ankles.
If the NFL determines that it was a hip-drop tackle, it would result in a monetary punishment. Hutchinson might’ve ended his season with a torn ACL while celebrating a sack that results in a ~$18,000 fine.