Aidan Hutchinson injury update: Lions DE broke tibia vs. Cowboys, having immediate surgery

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Detroit Lions suffered a potential season-altering injury in Sunday's game against the Dallas Cowboys when Aidan Hutchinson injured his left leg and was taken off the field by stretcher.

Hutchinson suffered a broken tibia, which is the larger of two bones in the lower leg and supports most of your weight, and was taken to a hospital in the Dallas area.

He underwent immediate surgery and will stay the night at the local hospital.

Hutchinson injured his leg with 11:43 left in the third quarter when he whipped Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott to the ground for a sack and his leg appeared to clip teammate Alim McNeill.

Hutchinson released Prescott from his grasp as he fell to the ground, and immediately took the gloves off both hands.

NOT GOOD NEWS: Who is the player the Lions can afford to lose the least? It's Hutchinson.

As trainers tended to Hutchinson, 24, every Lions player left the sideline to be by Hutchinson's side. Quarterback Jared Goff approached Hutchinson as he lay on the ground. Tight end Sam LaPorta walked off the field with a towel over his head. And linebacker Alex Anzalone pulled Hutchinson close before he left on a medical cart with what appeared to be an air cast on his leg.

Many Cowboys players also came over to offer Hutchinson well wishes, including tight end Luke Schoonmaker, his former teammate at Michigan.

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The Lions quickly ruled Hutchinson out for the game with a lower-leg injury .

Hutchinson, the No. 2 pick of the 2022 draft out of Michigan and Dearborn Divine Child High School , was having a breakout season and is the heart of the Lions defense that ranked fourth in the NFL against the run entering the game. He had at least one sack in each of the Lions' first three games, and 4½ in a Week 2 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and led the NFL with 23 pressures, according to Pro Football Reference .

Hutchinson fractured his lower right leg in 2020 while at Michigan during his sophomore season.

The Lions already have lost one starting to defensive end to a season-ending injury — Marcus Davenport tore his triceps in a Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals — and used Josh Paschal and Isaac Ukwu as defensive ends after Hutchinson's injury. The Cowboys, who did not pick up a first down in the second quarter, scored a field goal against a deflated Lions defense on the drive Hutchinson left with an injury.

Defensive tackle Kyle Peko also left the game with a pectoral injury in the first half and was ruled out for the game, and cornerback Carlton Davis III entered concussion protocol after getting kicked in the head.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on X and Instagram at @davebirkett .

Dave Birkett will sign copies of his new book, " Detroit Lions : An Illustrated Timeline" at 7 p.m., Oct. 21, at 24 Seconds Bar & Grill in Berkley, and from 5:30-7 p.m., Oct. 22 at Stadium Cards & Comics in Ypsilanti. Order your copy here .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Aidan Hutchinson injury update: Lions DE broke tibia vs. Cowboys, having immediate surgery