Before their playoff game against the Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions made a notable decision: they switched their backup quarterback. Hendon Hooker had served as the backup throughout the regular season, but for the playoffs, they opted for Teddy Bridgewater, who had spent the rest of the year coaching high school football. This change suggested that Hooker was unlikely to be the QB next in line for the 2025 season.
Now, the Lions have made another move that could push Hooker further down the depth chart or potentially lead to his departure. According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Lions have reached an agreement to sign former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kyle Allen. This will mark Allen’s sixth team in his NFL career.
Allen began his career with the Carolina Panthers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2018. He started most of his second season, finishing with a 5-7 record, 3,322 passing yards, and 17 touchdowns. However, since then, he has only started six games, playing for the Washington Commanders, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, and Pittsburgh Steelers. In those starts, he went 1-5, with 1,165 yards and seven touchdowns.
Now, Allen will provide veteran depth behind Jared Goff. Fortunately, Goff has been durable, playing all 17 games in each of the past three seasons, so this move helps the Lions ensure they have a reliable backup plan.
