Lions' Alim McNeill Provides Positive Health Update: 'I'm Just Training'

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill is trending in the right direction as he continues his recovery from a torn ACL. He suffered the injury in the Lions’ Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills last season. 

Though currently on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list, McNeill offered a highly encouraging update on his status Monday, signaling that his focus has shifted from rehabilitation to regular training.

“I’m doing great,” McNeill said, via the Lions team website. “I don’t really call it rehab anymore. I’m in a spot now where I’m just training. I feel really good. Things are going good, so I can’t complain. I feel great.”

While McNeill didn’t give a firm timetable for his return, Detroit general manager Brad Holmes recently shared with Sirius XM Radio that there’s optimism McNeill could return earlier than initially anticipated. That would be welcome news for a Lions defensive line that is quietly forming into one of the most formidable fronts in the NFL.

McNeill has become one of the most productive interior defenders in the league. In 2023, he earned an 88.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus (PFF), ranking as the sixth-highest graded defensive tackle in football. He accumulated 5.0 sacks and 34 pressures that season. In 2024, before his injury, he remained productive with 45 pressures, 3.5 sacks, and a 79.6 PFF grade – good for the 13th-best mark among interior linemen.