DETROIT — The Detroit Lions and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson have agreed to a four-year, $180 million contract extension
According to an Oct. 29 CBS report, the deal includes $141 million guaranteed, setting a new record for any non-quarterback.
Hutchinson’s average annual salary of $45 million makes him the second-highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, trailing only Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons, who earns $46.5 million per year after being traded from the Dallas Cowboys and signing an extension before the season.
The 25-year-old Hutchinson has become one of the league’s top defenders since joining the Lions. He finished second in NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year voting in 2022, earned a Pro Bowl nod with 11.5 sacks in 2023, and was leading the NFL with 7.5 sacks through six weeks of the 2024 season before a leg injury ended his year.
Hutchinson has returned strong in 2025, leading the NFL in pressures per game (6.9) and forced fumbles (four), while ranking among the top 10 in sacks (six) and pressure rate (19.2%). Since the start of last season, he has averaged an NFL-best 1.13 sacks per game — the only player averaging more than one sack per game.
His emergence has mirrored the Lions’ turnaround. Since his arrival, Detroit has gone 41-17, the fourth-best record in the league, compared to 17-46-2 in the four seasons before he was drafted.
A native of Plymouth, Hutchinson played college football at Michigan, where he earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors and several national awards in 2021 before becoming an All-America selection.