The mom of Detroit Lions star Aidan Hutchinson stole the show on Monday night, even as her son’s team recorded a stunning 38-30 win over Baltimore Ravens.
Midway through the fourth and final quarter, Hutchinson made a vital intervention for his team by punching the ball out of the grasp of running back Derrick Henry’s hand, forcing a fumble that would all but end any chance of a Ravens fightback.
As he celebrated with his teammates, ESPN cameras picked out his mother Melissa and sister Mia in the stands in Baltimore, leaving many fans distracted during a gripping conclusion to the game.
‘espn lets get more screen time for Aidan Hutchinson’s mom,’ one fan wrote on X, while another said: ‘I hope Aidan Hutchinson keeps making plays so the camera shows us his mom and sister more.’
Another excited viewer wrote: ‘Aidan Hutchinson tell your mom I said hello.’
It’s not the first time Melissa has taken the internet by storm. She spoke out last year when her son was recovering from a knee injury that ruined his 2024 campaign, insisting he would be back to full strength this time around.
Aidan Hutchinson’s mom sent fans crazy when ESPN cameras spotted her in the stands
The Detroit Lions star’s mom, Melissa, regularly attends her son’s games in the NFL
The Hutchinson family were propelled into the spotlight when the Lions star was made the No 2 pick in the 2022 NFL Draft
And at the NFL Draft in 2022, when Hutchinson was taken with the second pick by the Lions, Melissa documented the family’s journey into the spotlight as the prospect out of Michigan became one of the most wanted men in the NFL.
‘I could write a book about our experience so far, but for now, all I can say is meeting and working with some of the most incredibly kind, hard-working, beautifully-spirited people has by far been some of the greatest experiences of my own life in the last 6 months,’ Melissa said at the time.
‘As you can imagine, this is all pretty surreal for our family, definitely unchartered territory….I say this over and again, but gratitude runs deep for all the support.’
As a teenager, Melissa embarked on a career in modelling and was crowned Miss Michigan in 1998. Incredibly, her daughter Mia followed in her footsteps and won the same title in 2022, just two months after Hutchinson was drafted by the Lions.
‘When it reigns, it pours,’ Melissa wrote on Instagram at the time. ‘Still processing last week… heck, let’s just say the last year. Relentless pursuit of dreams seems to be our theme. At least it’s what we always talk about.
‘No man left behind. We back everyone 100%, everyday through the good and not so good days.’
Melissa quit modeling around the age of 17 to focus on her education,
‘When I won Miss Michigan, I cried… (but) my education was non-negotiable, so I knew I would never quit school for it (modelling),’ she told Sheridan.com.
Hutchinson’s mom pictured alongside his two sisters, Mia and Aria, at a Lions game
Her husband Chris pursued a career in the NFL but was forced to retire with health issues
She met Hutchinson’s father, Chris, at the University of Michigan and they have three kids together – Aidan is the middle child to two sisters, Mia and Aria.
Chris pursued a career in football and was an undrafted free agent signed by the Cleveland Browns in 1993, but he had to retire due to complications from a tetanus shot.
Melissa usually travels to every Lions game, as Monday night showed, to support her son, who is currently on his four-year rookie contract with the organization, worth $35.7million.
The Lions, a pick for many to compete for the Super Bowl, are now 2-1 after Monday night’s win over the Ravens.
Next, they host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Ford Field but there is some minor concern over Hutchinson’s availability for that game.
The 25-year-old was seen with a huge ice pack over his left knee after Monday’s win, but he played the full game and didn’t appear to be struggling with anything major.
