ARLINGTON, Texas — Aidan Hutchinson is likely done playing this year because of the leg injury he sustained against the Cowboys, but surgery to repair his fractured tibia and fibula ''went great'' and Lions coach Dan Campbell said Monday he isn't ready to declare his star pass rusher out for the season.
Hutchinson was carted off the field Sunday in the third quarter of Detroit's 47-9 win over Dallas and had surgery at Baylor White Medical Center.
''The surgery went great — it is all good news,'' Campbell said. ''It's probably 4-6 months, but I would never count Hutch out. It hurts, but if anyone could make it back, it is him.''
Hutchinson was set to return this week to Detroit from the Dallas-area hospital.
''It's really tough and he's a guy who's part of the heartbeat of this team,'' Lions quarterback Jared Goff said after the game. ''He will be fine, you know, he's going to come back eventually whenever that may be but knowing him he will be fine and he will bounce back.''
Hutchinson's leg appeared to snap above the ankle when it collided with the left leg of teammate Alim McNeill as Hutchinson was pulling Dallas QB Dak Prescott down for a sack.
''I haven't seen it myself so I couldn't really tell,'' McNeill said. ''I didn't know if it was him or not, but I did feel somebody like leg-whip me, and then I see Hutch down. That's wild to see. I hate that for him.''
The Lions were leading 34-6 at the time of the injury to Hutchinson, who entered the game as the NFL leader in sacks with 6 1/2.