By Moses Joshua 
After a long road back from injury, Ahmed Hassanein rejoins the Lions’ practice squad, proving Brad Holmes’ faith was well placed.
A Promise Fulfilled
Brad Holmes’ confidence has once again paid off. Months after assuring reporters that rookie edge rusher Ahmed Hassanein would return to Detroit once healthy, the Lions’ general manager’s words have come full circle.
“But, bottom line, he’s going to be a Detroit Lion, he’s going to be back on the football field playing this year,” Holmes said earlier this year.
On Monday afternoon, that prediction came true as the Lions re-signed the sixth-round rookie defender to their practice squad, ending a recovery stretch that began with a pectoral injury late in the preseason.
Holmes and the team took a calculated risk by agreeing to an injury settlement instead of placing Hassanein on injured reserve. The decision meant Hassanein would be free to sign elsewhere once healthy — but both sides stayed loyal, and Detroit’s bet on trust paid off.
From Cairo to the Motor City
Hassanein’s story is one of persistence and rapid growth. The Boise State product became the first Egyptian player ever drafted into the NFL, and his journey from Cairo to Detroit has been nothing short of remarkable.
He began playing football in 2019, while re-learning English after moving to the United States in 2018. In just a few years, he developed into a dangerous edge presence, racking up 22 sacks and 32 tackles for loss over his final two college seasons.
During the preseason, Hassanein’s intensity stood out. He recorded six tackles and two quarterback pressures in limited action before injury struck — but even then, his commitment to improvement never wavered. Coaches noted his eagerness to learn and his nonstop energy on the field.
“Well, I think you’re always coaching the, ‘Hey man, don’t get to the point where you’re so out of control that you’re not able to make that transition into doing your job,’ whether it is upfield or it’s a counter,” head coach Dan Campbell said in July. “But I bring this back again, you would much rather pull back on guys than have to try to prod them and push them. … Love the effort, love his enthusiasm. And he is a sponge.”
A Developmental Talent with a High Ceiling
At 6-foot-3 and 271 pounds, Hassanein brings a relentless motor and strong physicality to Detroit’s defensive edge rotation. The Lions initially viewed him as a developmental project — a player with the raw tools and mindset to become an effective rotational pass rusher.
Outside of signing Marcus Davenport in free agency, Hassanein was the Lions’ only new addition to their edge group this year. His return gives Detroit another young, hungry defender eager to make an impact as the season progresses.
Now back in the fold, Hassanein will get the chance to continue his growth alongside familiar faces and a coaching staff that clearly believes in him.
For the Lions, it’s not just a reunion — it’s the continuation of a story that’s only just beginning.