Rookie DE Stayed With Detroit Lions Due to Loyalty

Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Ahmed Hassanein had the opportunity to join any NFL team.

After his preseason injury resulted in the team waiving him with an injury settlement, the former sixth-round pick did not leave Metro Detroit.

He remained to rehab and to watch a competitive football team win six of their first nine games to start the 2025 season.

Speaking with reporters after practice on Wednesday, Hassanein expressed the difficulties he faced being away from the game, but also the renewed passion to grow as a football player and to develop wtih the team that took the chance and drafted him.

"He (Hassanein's agent) was telling me like, 'Oh, 31 was wanting you on the practice squad.' Because I don't count as a player. I was like, 'Man, I'm not going anywhere.' I want to stay here, because these people believe in me, and I'm going to give it all I got," Hassanein said. "Loyalty is a big thing for me. And man, I want to just want give it the best."

There were tough moments, but having football taken away from him gave the young defender more appreciation for the opportunity that now awaits him.

"It's a blessing to be back here, and just to be able to have teammates," said Hassanein. "And man, just to say good morning to everybody. Have coaching and being coached again, sitting in a team meeting. And it's been a blessing, you know. And I truly grew from it. I feel like this is a really good thing that happened to me. I'm gonna look at it, at that positive side, and just take it one day at a time, and just continue to get better and continue to attack every single day."

Watching from afar gave the former Boise State Broncos defensive end even more resolve the team was going to eventually win a Super Bowl.

"Man, this is a Super Bowl team. This team, I truly believe they're going to win a Super Bowl," said Hassanein. "It's a competitive roster. And man everybody wants to give their best. And everybody wants to come to work happy and positive and wants to get better and wants to compete. So, anytime you have that environment, man, I got fired up today when I heard coach Campbell was like, 'Man, we wanted Philly for so long.' And I was like, 'Yes.' I was like, I wanted that feeling.

"It's a blessing, man, just to be able to stay in the team meeting again and and just to have that experience, it means everything to me," Hassanein added. "I just want to give it all I got. And I want to help this team do whatever it takes to win. Even be on scout team, being whatever. Like honestly, being whatever to just help my teammates and just be the best version of myself."