By Moses Joshua 
Detroit receives a timely boost as second-year guard accelerates recovery from leg injury
Mahogany Targeting Late-Season Return as Lions Push Toward Playoffs
The Detroit Lions may soon receive much-needed reinforcements along their battered offensive line. Second-year guard Christian Mahogany, sidelined since breaking a bone in his left leg against the Minnesota Vikings, is trending toward a return — and perhaps even ahead of schedule.
Initially, the Lions hoped Mahogany would be able to rejoin the lineup in late December for a potential playoff push. After an encouraging Monday update inside the locker room, that goal seems very much alive.
“Yeah, that’s the goal right now,” Mahogany told MLive. “I mean, that’s what I’m hearing. You know, I’m trying to progress as quickly as possible while also being safe… Just keep going every day.”
Just one month ago, the young guard was leaving Ford Field in a walking boot and on crutches. Now, he’s running again, adding to optimism inside the building that he could bolster Detroit’s struggling interior line at a critical moment.
Lions’ Offensive Line Needs Stabilizing — Fast
Detroit’s offensive line has been hit with wave after wave of injuries, and the interior has particularly suffered in Mahogany’s absence.
Kayode Awosika has been forced into four straight starts at left guard, while Graham Glasgow also missed the Thanksgiving loss with a knee issue. The instability has contributed heavily to all five Lions defeats.
Mahogany’s return would be significant. Pro Football Focus ranks him 33rd among 90 qualifying guards, and he sits among the top 15 run blockers at the position. Before the injury, he allowed just 17 pressures and two sacks in 270 pass-blocking snaps, production the Lions have sorely missed.
The 25-year-old admits watching from the sideline hasn’t been easy.
“Oh, you know, it sucks. I don’t like to miss football games,” he said. “Just trying to come back and do whatever I can for my guys.”
A Familiar Road Back — and Inspiration for Others
This isn’t Mahogany’s first uphill battle. As a rookie, he missed all of training camp and the preseason due to mono, yet still fought his way back to start two games. That resilience has become a blueprint for rookie offensive lineman Miles Frazier, who also missed camp with a knee injury and has recently returned to practice.
Mahogany calls the experience a lesson in perseverance, describing recovery as “another chapter in your book.”
Now, with Detroit’s playoff hopes hanging by a thread at 7–5, his comeback would arrive at the perfect time. The Lions have even fitted him with a custom protective pad — similar to the one Aidan Hutchinson wore returning from his own leg injury — to help ease his transition back to game action.
“You know, just try and get back to being who I am,” Mahogany said. “Play for my guys to my right and left… I just gotta go out, hopefully, on my own terms.”
A Timely Boost for a Team Fighting for Its Season
If the Lions are going to make a meaningful run in December, they will need stability in the trenches. Mahogany’s progress — and his confidence — provides a rare late-season spark for a team battling injuries across key positions.
Detroit won’t rush him, but the door is clearly open. And for a Lions squad fighting for its postseason life, that’s welcome news.