Hometown Hero

If you tried to pitch Aidan Hutchinson's story as a movie script it might get rejected for being too unrealistic...

Born and raised in the state of Michigan to a father that starred as a defensive lineman at the University of Michigan / Goes on to be recruited to his Father's alma mater, also as a defensive lineman, and not only carries the mantle but surpasses it by winning several awards including the Lombardi Award (and even finishing 2nd in the Heisman Trophy voting) / On the strength of his collegiate performance is considered a top draft pick in the same year that his hometown team the Detroit Lions have the number 2 pick - and they of course select him with that pick

Since with the Lions it's just been more of the same success where, aside from a freak leg injury in 2024, he has been leading the charge of a Lions' resurgence from regular league "doormats" into now a perennial contender for division and conference titles - collecting Pro Bowl and All Pro selections along the way

All of this would be reason enough to understand how he often has the "Hometown Hero" moniker attached to his name, but all the on-field performances may not even be the most heroic thing he does. Through his "Hutch Heroes" charity he and his family have consistently worked to support children battling life-threatening illness, with Aidan frequently visiting Mott Children's Hospital and selecting a "Hero" each week of the season to highlight as he heads into gamedays

Calling somebody a hero can sometimes feel a little over-used and cliche but in this case...it really feels like it fits