For the first time since he was waived by the Detroit Lions, Hendon Hooker touched on his decision to sign with the Carolina Panthers' practice squad.
A former third-round pick in 2023, Hooker was unable to win the QB2 competition in Detroit after doing so in 2024. The Tennessee product struggled in the preseason en route to losing out to Kyle Allen, which led to Detroit cutting him on Tuesday.
It isn't clear if Hooker had an offer to join the Lions' practice squad, but he ultimately landed on the Panthers'.
Hooker said the goal was "to go somewhere I was wanted."
"I just wanted to go somewhere I was wanted," Hooker said. "And wanted to develop and learn, and coach told me that he would like me to come learn under him, and we have a great bond from the draft process, just reminiscing on those talks that we had then, I'm eager to learn from him."
Hooker showed promise during the 2024 preseason, but this year was much different and he seemed to regress in exhibition play.
General manager Brad Holmes admitted Hooker and fellow Lions 2023 third-round pick, defensive lineman Brodric Martin, just didn't "meet expectations in a timely manner."
“I don’t know how much more preparation that we could have done when we select these players, but it’s just a respect of the unknown,” Holmes said. “Unfortunately, they did not meet expectations in the timely manner that we would have liked for them to do, but you’ve just got to look at it."
Panthers head coach Dave Canales has long been a fan of Hooker's game. Before the 2023 NFL draft, he and Hooker "established a strong connection during the combine interviews," according to Kassidy Hill of Panthers.com.
Hooker now enters a situation in which he'll be the team's third quarterback from the practice squad, with Bryce Young and Andy Dalton in front of him.
That situation will give Hooker more time to develop in the hopes he can turn his career around after a failed stint in Detroit.
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