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Aidan Hutchinson starts 2026 with dominant performance vs Saints

Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson kicked off his fifth professional campaign in commanding fashion on September 13, 2026, leading his team to a thrilling 31-30 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field. The former 2022 second-overall selection out of the University of Michigan equaled a Detroit franchise milestone by matching the club's record for the most consecutive outings with at least one sack.

His fourth-quarter takedown of Saints signal-caller Tyler Shough helped secure top defensive PFF marks for the contest, pacing Detroit's defensive front.

The tightly contested season opener dropped New Orleans to an 0-1 record ahead of their upcoming road test against the 1-0 Baltimore Ravens. Offensively for the Lions, wideout Amon-Ra St.

Brown stood out as a premier performer alongside three top-graded offensive linemen, while teammates Jameson Williams and Isaac TeSlaa struggled during the narrow overtime triumph.