It has been over a year since Detroit Lions rookie quarterback Hendon Hooker has thrown a pass with shoulder pads on. Since suffering a torn ACL as a Tennessee Volunteer last November-in the midst of a potential Heisman run-he has been furiously rehabbing. But when the Lions placed him on the Non-Football Injury list, it came with a laundry list of rules of what he can and cannot do until he comes back from injury.

However, on Wednesday, all of that changed as the Lions returned Hooker to practice, starting a 21-day clock in which he'll either eventually land on Detroit's 53-man roster or fall back to the NFI list and end his season. This marked a significant milestone in Hooker's journey to recovery as he gets to practice with no restrictions.

"It was a blast. It was a blast," Hooker said after practice. "Just to get back out there with the guys, compete. That's what it's about; competing and winning ball games."

The return required some adjustment for Hooker. He had to get used to throwing with pads again, took his first snaps under center, something he did rarely in the shotgun-heavy Volunteers defense, and had to calm himself down from the excitement of returning to the field.

"I couldn't sleep. I was too excited," Hooker said. "Just trying to calm myself. Everybody around me was very excited, so I was just trying to be the calming piece."

Throughout his journey, Hooker has received invaluable guidance from assistant quarterbacks coach J.T. Barrett, who has experienced a torn ACL himself, and backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who has dealt with ACL and dislocated knee injuries.

"(Barrett) knows exactly what I'm going through and he knows exactly the steps it takes to get back your confidence and get back to football things," Hooker said. "(Bridgewater) has been a great mentor for me, another guy who's gone through the stages of being injured to getting back into the rhythm of things."

With his return to the field, Hooker is now focused on taking the next step in his development as a young quarterback. While he has been engaged in meetings and observed practices from the sidelines, he acknowledges that there's no substitute for actual game experience.

"Before I'm really just going out there blind, trying to go off either what I see or what I know from (play) installs," Hooker said. "But it's different when you're out there moving around and you have actual receivers, not just a standing target. It's fun just to get out there, run through plays, and communicate with guys, and just asking them what they're seeing on the field."

Despite the year-long hiatus from football, Hooker stated that there wasn't much rust on Day 1 of practice and expressed his gratitude for being able to play again.

"It just feels good to actually be a baller again."

As the 21-day evaluation period begins, all eyes will be on Hendon Hooker as he seeks to secure a spot on the Detroit Lions' 53-man roster and continue his promising football career after a challenging period of rehabilitation.