How NFL Granting Ahmed Hassanein Exempt Status Aids Lions' Roster

The Detroit Lions will have an interesting decision to make regarding the roster status of second-year pro Ahmed Hassanein during training camp this summer.

Hassanein, the No. 196 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, became the first player of Egyptian descent to be selected by an NFL franchise.

Hassanein grew up in Egypt after being born in the United States, and didn’t start playing organized football until 2019.

The Boise State product suffered a pectoral injury during camp a year ago, and proceeded to be waived by the Lions with an injury settlement prior to the final round of roster cuts. He was later re-signed to the organization's practice squad, which was followed by Hassanein signing a reserve/future contract with Detroit in January.

Yet, he failed to play a single snap with Dan Campbell's squad in 2025, and now could be on the outside looking in after Detroit upgraded its EDGE room this offseason via the acquisitions of veteran D.J. Wonnum and rookie Derrick Moore.

The only potential saving grace for Hassanein is that the Lions were granted an International Player Pathway Program roster exemption for him.

While the 23-year-old was not officially a product of the program, he received the exemption – and for the second straight year – because the NFL viewed his third year of American-based high school football during the COVID-19 pandemic as a lost year for him.

The International Player Pathway Program – established in 2017 – is designed for players born outside the United States and Canada, who have played no more than two years of high school football in the U.S., to get a chance in the NFL.

As a result of this international player exemption, the Lions will enter training camp with 91 open roster spots instead of the traditional 90.

If Hassanein makes the team's season-opening 53-man roster, then the roster exemption goes by the wayside and the EDGE defender is treated just like any other player.

However, if he fails to make the 53-man roster this summer and ends up on the practice squad, the Lions would obtain a 17th practice squad spot.

With all this said, Campbell & Co. now have four open roster spots instead of three as they prepare for the start of OTAs at the end of May.

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