All Lions

Lions Alim McNeill Will Likely Miss Start of 2025 NFL Season

Lions Dan Campbell gives update on health status of Alim McNeill.
John Maakaron|
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) celebrates as he runs off the field following the game against the Packers
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Alim McNeill (54) celebrates as he runs off the field following the game against the Packers | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

In this story:

Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions do not want to rush the return of defensive tackle Alim McNeill. After suffering a torn ACL last season, the talented defensive lineman likely will not be available for Dan Campbell's squad at the beginning of the 2025 NFL season.

Speaking at the league meetings, Campbell was asked about the potential return of an emerging defender the team gave a lucrative, long-term extension to.

According to the team's play-by-play voice, "Dan Campbell gave some insight into when we might see Alim McNeill again. Said it won’t be at the start of camp and probably not early in the season. McNeill of course is coming off an ACL injury. They want to make sure he is right before he returns."

McNeill's four-year, $97 million extension was well-earned, as he's recorded 137 combined tackles, 22 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in his career.

Given that ACL injuries normally carry a return timeline between nine months and a year, McNeill's late-season setback likely means his comeback would be set for September at the earliest and December at the latest.

The team's defense has found a way to be stout against the run and losing a player of McNeill's caliber in 2024 significantly impacted the defense.

Additional reading: What Can Lions Expect From Alim McNeill in 2025?

Heading into the 2025, the team wants to remain disciplined and will again emphasize limiting the opponents rushing attack.

“Finishing, man, absolutely. We’ll always be — number one, we’ve got to stop the run," Campbell told Miller this week. "You’ve got to make teams one dimensional in this league. It’s one thing, you don’t want either one, it’s one thing to get thrown on, but if you get run on, you take a team’s soul, man.

"So, that’s not gonna happen to us, we’ll always to stop that," Campbell commented further. "Here’s the thing, we wanted to get them in second-and-long, manageable third downs. We did that, and we could not finish like we need to on the quarterback.”

More from Detroit Lions OnSI

Published
John Maakaron
JOHN MAAKARON

John Maakaron has covered Detroit Sports since 2013. Brings a vast array of experience covering the Detroit Tigers, Detroit Lions, Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans, Detroit Mercy Titans, and Oakland University Golden Grizzlies. John brings a wealth of sports broadcast experience. In 2013, John had the vision to establish the Detroit Sports Podcast Network. Has recorded over 3000 podcasts analyzing Detroit Sports. In 2019, Sports Illustrated Media Group, a historical sports media outlet, partnered with Detroit Sports Podcast to provide daily Lions content for their growing and expanding digital media outlet. Our Lions content can also be read in the newspaper at The Oakland  Passionate about Detroit Sports and it is reflected in his coverage of the local teams!

Home/News