“I’ve grown a lot, grown an awful lot,” Hooker said last week. “Just from coming in not knowing what to expect, especially with my knee and rehabbing that and not knowing when I would be 100 percent. To actually being 100 percent and continuing to learn the playbook while not taking physical reps, which is a little awkward. But being able to be with Teddy and Jared and ask them questions they never hesitated to help me.”

The Lions activated Hooker from the non-football injury list before their Christmas Eve game against the Minnesota Vikings. Hooker served as the emergency third quarterback for the final three games of the regular season and in the playoffs.

More importantly, it allowed him to start to get physical reps in practice, and that sped up his progress significantly. Hooker said the first time he took scout team reps in his first practice his palms were sweating he was so excited.