Two players on the Detroit Lions’ defensive line who are expected to miss regular season time both gave optimistic updates to local reporters on Thursday.
Rookie Ahmed Hassanein, who suffered a pectoral injury during the team’s third preseason game, is expected to be out for “a while,” per coach Dan Campbell. The Lions coach also wouldn’t count out it being a season-ending injury. But on social media, Hassanein said he avoided the need for surgery. Then, after Thursday’s practice, in which Hassanein was standing on the sidelines, he told Detroit Football Network’s Justin Rogers that his latest MRI revealed good news.
From Rogers:
I caught up with him briefly, walking off the field, and he confirmed his MRI results were good and he’ll avoid surgery, but it’s too early to say how long he might be out of action.
Campbell, too, was asked about any update on Hassanein, but the Lions coach said he had no new information to share.
Another good sign for Hassanein is that he has avoided season-ending injured reserve thus far. If the Lions were certain he’d miss the entire 2025 season, they would have likely put him on IR by now. Instead, they could place Hassanein on IR on the cutdown deadline day, which would make him eligible to return after a minimum of four games missed. Still, it’s unclear when—and if—Hassanein will return this season.
Alim McNeill, who suffered an ACL injury in December, has been seen on the sideline for most of training camp, and has recently been seen getting work with trainers, as well. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press briefly caught up with McNeill after Thursday’s joint practice with the Texans, and the defensive tackle had some positive updates.
McNeill told Birkett that he was ahead of schedule, confirming what Lions general manager Brad Holmes said earlier in training camp. While the defensive tackle wouldn’t provide a timeline on his return, he said he would “for sure” be back before Thanksgiving. As he put it, he’s in the final stages of his rehab, which is focused on getting his full strength back.
”At this point, it’s like baking a cake. It’s just putting the finishing touches on it,” McNeill told Birkett.
Per Birkett, McNeill is already working on “cutting, running, and jumping.”
The team has never really provided a firm estimate on when McNeill will return. The closest came during the owners meeting in April when Campbell said they don’t expect him for “the early part of the season.” So when he takes the field still remains a bit of a mystery. At the moment, we’re right around the eight-month mark since his ACL tear and subsequent surgery.
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