A Hendon Hooker return to the Detroit Lions this offseason was a long shot. The team moved on from the former third-round pick last preseason when he lost the backup job to Kyle Allen.
Any lingering hope of a return, though, ended Wednesday.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported Hooker is signing a contract to join the Tennessee Titans.
Hooker is joining the Titans after spending the 2025 campaign with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets. The quarterback mostly served as a practice squad player for both teams.
Hooker last appeared in the NFL regular season during 2024 for the Lions. He completed six of nine passes for 62 yards.
The Lions selected the signal-caller at No. 68 overall in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
Ex-Lions QB Hendon Hooker Signing Titans Contract: Report
Because of his draft position, some pundits considered Hooker not only a long-term quarterback option for Detroit but a potential replacement for Jared Goff.
However, during Hooker’s rookie campaign, Goff proved the end of his 2022 campaign wasn’t a fluke. That earned Goff a $212 million extension.
Meanwhile, Hooker sat out the entire 2023 season because of an ACL injury he sustained toward the end of his college career.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said on a podcast ahead of Hooker’s rookie season that his first NFL year would be a defacto “redshirt” season.
But then Hooker didn’t receive a lot of playing time in 2024. He also left something to be desired through his preseason performances.
Last summer, the Lions couldn’t retain Hooker because the team dedicated roster spots to other positions. Hooker also lost the backup role to Allen.
Allen played in just three games during 2025 for the Lions. He didn’t complete a pass.
This offseason, the Lions brought back Teddy Bridgewater as the team’s backup. Detroit could still add a third and even fourth quarterback this offseason.
Looking at Hooker’s Opportunity With the Titans
On his fourth team in a year, Hooker is probably just hoping to earn a roster spot in Tennessee. However, that could be tough.
The Titans will once again start former No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward behind center this fall. Tennessee also still has ex-second-rounder Will Levis. The Titans signed veteran Mitch Trubisky, who is also a former top 5 pick, as well.
Hooker arrives as the clear-cut QB4 and faces an uphill battle at a roster spot.
But in Tennessee, Hooker will return closer to his old stomping grounds. The quarterback played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers from 2021-22.
Before his ACL injury in 2022, Hooker completed 69.6% of his passes for 3,135 yards. He averaged an SEC-high 9.5 yards per pass with 27 touchdowns and two interceptions as well.
Hooker posted strong statistics in 2021 too.
A Greensboro, North Carolina native, the quarterback began his college career at Virginia Tech.
Earning a roster spot with the Titans may be unrealistic for Hooker. But at the very least, he should have practice and preseason opportunities to showcase that he still belongs in the league.
What he puts on tape during August will greatly influence whether he will have a job with the Titans or land an opportunity with another team this fall.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lions Get Major Update on QB Hendon Hooker in NFL Free Agency: Report appeared first on Heavy Sports.