The wait for Hendon Hooker's debut for the Detroit Lions will have to wait, as there's really no urgent need for the team to get him on the field. In fact, the Lions have reportedly placed the former Tennessee Volunteers star quarterback on the non-football injury list for the start of the 2023 NFL regular season, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network.

“As the Lions prepare to start the season, rookie Hendon Hooker will begin the season on the non-football injury list, source said, as he recovers from an ACL tear in college. No rush, with DET taking it slow with their No. 68 selection,” Rapoport shared via X (the social media channel formerly known as Twitter).

There is no rush for the Lions to have Hooker on the active roster, as they still have veteran quarterback Jared Goff to run the offense from under center. They also still have Teddy Bridgewater as Goff's chief backup for now. Goff had a renaissance of sorts in 2022 with the Lions, as he posted 4,438 passing yards and 29 touchdowns against seven interceptions on a 65.1 percent completion rate.

Hooker is still recuperating from a torn ACL injury he suffered in a late-season game between the Vols and the South Carolina Gamecocks. The injury hurt Hooker's stock in the 2023 NFL Draft, but he still got his NFL dreams come true when the Lions took him in the third round (68th overall).

The Lions kick off their 2023 regular season at Arrowhead Stadium against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sep. 7.