VFL Hooker excited for Year 2 opportunities in Detroit

BLUFF CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Former Tennessee Vol quarterback, Hendon Hooker, has been spending a lot of time with college teammate, Joe Milton this week.

The pair of signal callers have been putting on a football camp for youth in various cities in Tennessee – including a trip to Bluff City on Wednesday. Soon, it will be back to Detroit for the 2022 SEC Offensive Player of the Year for his second season with the Lions.

Hooker was drafted in the Third Round of the 2023 NFL Draft, after his collegiate season was cut short due to a torn ACL.

By January of this year, the Greensboro native was able to participate in practices during the franchise’s run to the NFC Championship. This summer, he’s already been at workouts with his teammates, preparing for the fall.

The thought of another NFL season brought a big smile to his face.

“It’s been a while, been a while since I’ve gotten to play football,” he said Wednesday. “It was a blast being out there at OTAs and being able to compete with guys that have played real time.”

“It’s exciting to play against a playoff defense that was playing at an extremely high level,” he explained. “We’re trying to do the same thing this year – play at a high level and get back to the NFC Championship and then the Super Bowl.”

The Detroit Lions begin 2024 Training Camp on Saturday, July 27.

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