Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell gives emphatic answer on Alim McNeill's Week 7 status

Detroit Lions' Dan Campbell gives emphatic answer on Alim McNeill's Week 7 status originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

It looks like the Detroit Lions are getting Alim freakin' McNeill back this week.

McNeill has been sidelined since last December with a torn ACL and has been working his way back through the first six weeks of the 2025 campaign.

McNeill, who was designated to return from the PUP list on Oct. 1, is "freakin' playing" this week, head coach Dan Campbell said on Wednesday morning.

”Barring something happening this week, Alim’s freakin’ playing, man,” Campbell said on Costa and Jansen with Heather.

When it comes to McNeill's playing time in his 2025 debut, Campbell didn't have a definitive answer, although you would assume the defensive tackle will be eased in after such a long absence.

“We’ll take it as it comes. He’s gotten more reps over the last two weeks. He’s going to get more in practice this week, too,” Campbell added on McNeill.

McNeill offers a significant boost to both the pass-rush and run defense for Detroit and returns to form a fantastic duo up the middle with D.J. Reader.

The former third-round pick has 8.5 sacks over his last 27 games and has posted the best Pro Football Focus run defense grades of his career in that span, with a 64.5 in 2024 and a 79.3 in 2023.

McNeill's return figures to cut into the snaps of rookie Tyleik Williams the most. The rookie was averaging 30.5 snaps per contest in McNeill's absence.

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