By Moses Joshua 
Alim McNeill’s long-awaited comeback brings fresh energy and confidence to Detroit’s defensive front
A Comeback Built on Visualization and Relentless Work
Alim McNeill has never been one to sulk. Inside the Detroit Lions locker room, his optimism radiates as brightly as his talent. Now, after 10 grueling months of recovery from a torn ACL, the star defensive lineman is finally set to make his long-anticipated return — and under the bright lights of Monday Night Football against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“That’s all I have been doing, actually,” McNeill said on Thursday. “I’ll just be sitting at home, just visualizing making plays and stuff like that. So I see myself fitting in just fine — being explosive, getting off blocks, creating pressure on the quarterback, you know, making plays in the backfield.”
McNeill tore his ACL in December against the Buffalo Bills and underwent surgery just after the new year. Since then, he’s spent countless hours rehabbing in San Diego, strengthening both his body and mindset. “December 15, last year? Since the day it happened. And then after surgery, I had surgery January 2nd, and after that, I was just like, ‘all right, it’s time to go.’”
Now, after months of intense rehab and patience, McNeill has been a full participant in practice and cleared for Week 7. Head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that his big man is ready to roll, saying, “Alim’s freakin’ playing, man.”
“Just Another Game Day” — But Not Really
McNeill has always approached football with calm confidence, but this return means something extra. Still, in typical fashion, he refuses to make it about himself.
“Just knowing me, and I don’t take things for granted at all. It’s for sure gonna be a huge moment,” McNeill said. “But just knowing me, it’s just gonna be another game day for me. I’m not gonna sit here and try to make a big deal out of it and all this and that.”
He added, “You know, people get hurt and come back all the time. So it’s like, why would I make a big deal out of it? Let’s just go play football. I know how I’m gonna be. I’m just gonna go out there and hoop and do what I do.”
That mindset — grounded yet competitive — is part of what makes McNeill a cornerstone of Detroit’s defense.
Chemistry Renewed in the Trenches
McNeill’s return comes at an ideal time for the Lions’ defensive front. The unit has been stellar, ranking tied for third in the NFL with 19 team sacks. Aidan Hutchinson continues to lead the charge, recording a sack in five straight games and forcing a fumble in four consecutive contests.
“It’s going to be great,” Hutchinson said. “It’s going to be so good to have him back. I know he can’t wait to be back. It’s going to be fun to watch, that’s all I know. And going to be playing beside each other on some reps, too. It’s going to be really great to get him back.”
McNeill, too, is excited to reignite that chemistry. “Yeah, we was already out there trying to get that chemistry back going,” he said. “So, there’s a couple things that we were doing out there. Little head nods, little small stuff like that, we were trying to get going. But it’s gonna be fun. That’s an electric player to be beside. He elevates everybody beside him, around him.”
Looking Ahead: No Slowdown in Sight
McNeill’s comeback also coincides with Detroit’s upcoming bye week — a built-in checkpoint for the defensive lineman to assess how his knee responds to live action. But rest isn’t on his agenda.
“I’ll be working out, doing different stuff though,” McNeill said. “But it might be a little bit of that and a plus at the same time. I get to get a game in and see how the game goes — see how everything felt that week, kind of reassess what went on. But it could be both. But I’m going to be working out, so it’s not going to really feel like a bye week to me.”
For a player who’s spent nearly a year visualizing his return, McNeill’s reappearance on the field represents more than recovery — it’s a symbol of resilience, leadership, and the hunger that continues to drive the Lions’ pursuit of greatness.