Detroit Lions defensive end Josh Paschal made it back to practice much sooner than head coach Dan Campbell expected — and Campbell couldn’t help but laugh at himself about it.

Just a week earlier, Campbell had told reporters that Paschal was still dealing with a back issue and needed to hit a few more benchmarks before being cleared. But only days later, Paschal was back on the field as the team opened his 21-day activation window from the non-football injury list.

Campbell admitted with a grin that he might’ve spoken too soon:

“Yeah, I kind of blew that one,” he joked. “Right after I said that, I went back upstairs, and they told me, ‘Paschal’s ready to go.’ I just laughed — great news, but bad timing on my part.”

Detroit’s defensive line has been stretched thin with Paschal and Marcus Davenport both out, and since the team didn’t trade for additional help before the deadline, Paschal’s return couldn’t come at a better time.

Last season, Paschal appeared in 14 games (starting 10) and posted 21 tackles, five tackles for loss, eight QB hits, two sacks, and a forced fumble. While he’ll likely be eased back into action and have his snaps limited early on, the Lions see him as a key piece to bolster their pass rush heading into the final stretch of the season.

Campbell praised Paschal’s energy since returning:

“He looks really good — a little sore, sure, but he had a strong day Wednesday. We gave him a lighter day Thursday, probably won’t have him go today, but next week he’ll be rolling again. He came out fired up, just like Mac (Alim McNeill), pushing our guys hard. He’s been itching to get back.”

With his practice clock now ticking, Paschal’s comeback gives Detroit’s defense a much-needed boost — and gives Campbell another reason to smile.