Alim McNeill was in the locker room the day after Detroit’s playoff elimination in the Divisional Round, cleaning out his locker and preparing for the offseason.

The fourth-year defensive tackle was wearing a large brace on his knee, which protected his surgically repaired ACL tear that he suffered on December 15 against Buffalo. This season, the Lions extended McNeill to a four-year, $97 million contract that will keep him in Detroit through 2028.

“I wasn’t sure what it was, but I could tell something felt off about it at the time,” McNeill said about the injury he sustained in the loss to the Bills. “Having the season cut short was definitely tough. This was my first season-ending injury and my first surgery, so it was all new for me.”

Once the Lions were out of the playoffs, McNeill said his focus immediately shifted to rehab and returning stronger next season.

“Now that it’s over, I’ve got to get back on the field as quickly as possible,” he said. “I won’t rush, but I’ll definitely push myself.”

McNeill doesn’t have a set timeline for his return to football activities, explaining that his plan is to take his rehab one day at a time. ACL injuries generally take about nine months to recover from, meaning McNeill could aim to return as early as September or October next season.

McNeill is highly motivated to come back as quickly as possible, especially with the potential of Detroit’s defensive line next season. He and DJ Reader are both under contract, giving the Lions strength in the interior of their defense.

Aidan Hutchinson will also return after breaking his leg in Week 6 against Dallas and missing the rest of the season. Hutchinson was having an MVP-caliber season before the injury and will be determined to make a huge impact in his fourth year.

Due to Hutchinson’s injury and Marcus Davenport’s season-ending injury in Week 3, Lions general manager Brad Holmes traded for veteran edge rusher Za’Darius Smith at the deadline. Smith posted 4.0 sacks in nine games with Detroit and finished with 9.0 sacks across 17 games in 2024, and he’s under contract for 2025.

With strong depth pieces and the expectation of further additions to the defensive line via free agency and the draft, it’s clear why McNeill is excited to return and be part of what he believes could be a great defensive front in Detroit next season. Despite all the injuries on defense, Detroit finished seventh in scoring defense, fifth against the run, and first in third-down efficiency this season.

“It’s tough. No one expected this outcome. We worked hard and had set goals for the year,” McNeill said. “Things changed, and now we’re here. It happens, and it’s hard to swallow.”

“We’re just going to put in even more work to be better prepared. There’s no secret to it. You can’t avoid it—you’ve got to put in the work to reach the Super Bowl, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

“It’s going to keep growing for us. We’re still a relatively young team, and there are still guys developing. I definitely see a bright future for us.”