Former Lions QB Released Just Months After Joining New Team

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The Detroit Lions made quarterback changes going into the 2025-26 season, because even though they have a solid franchise signal-caller in Jared Goff, his backups were in question. Now, Goff’s backup quarterback is Kyle Allen, so if Goff goes down, Allen is really the only player on the active roster who would step in. But, at one point, the Lions had hope for readying a different backup quarterback for Goff. That was Hendon Hooker, their 2023 third-round draft pick. Detroit released Hooker on August 25 of this year, just weeks before the start of the regular season. It was an expected announcement at the time, although a disappointing one, since when the Lions picked him up in the draft, he was promising. In Tennessee, he threw for 6,080 yards, 58 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 68.8% of his passes, according to Sports Reference research. But, before letting him walk, Lions coach Dan Campbell even told reporters he felt Hooker could use a change of scenery, suggesting the outcome that became reality. “Hooker lost the preseason battle for the backup quarterback job to veteran Kyle Allen, who outplayed Hooker in the Lions’ four preseason games and was clearly the better choice by the conclusion of their preparatory period,” Nick Shook of the NFL’s site stated in a feature at the time. Ex-Lions Quarterback Looking for a New Home Hooker was quickly signed by the Carolina Panthers during the offseason and had been serving on their practice squad. But, that all ended on Tuesday, November 4. Amid the drama of trades happening before the NFL’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. Eastern time, the Panthers quietly released Hooker. “Hooker’s departure seemed inevitable once the Panthers signed Mike White to their practice squad two weeks ago, and then, earlier this week, signed him to the active roster,” Charean Williams NBC Sports notes. “Hooker became the odd man out as the fourth quarterback once Bryce Young was fully healed.” In other Panthers moves, the team released tackle Michael Tarquin and linebacker Carlos Basham from the practice squad, and they signed running back DeeJay Dallas and safety Israel Mukuamu to the practice squad. They also signed guard Ja’Tyre Carter as a practice squad exception. Ex-Lions Signal-Caller’s Release Has to Do With Making Room for New Players As Anthony Rizzuti of the USA Today’s Panthers Wire notes, the moves meant Hooker had to go. “To make room for Dallas, Mukuamu and Carter, the Panthers released quarterback Hendon Hooker, offensive tackle Michael Tarquin and outside linebacker Carlos ‘Boogie’ Basham,” Rizzuti noted in a Tuesday, November 4 piece. The Detroit Lions also made a move on Tuesday, although it wasn’t a flashy trade move. The team signed Jack Conley to their practice squad, according to Tom Pelissero.