For Alim McNeill, there was never a doubt. When he limped off the field in Week 13 and was later placed on injured reserve, he knew he'd return this season. A sprained knee wasn't going to be the reason he missed his first shot at the playoffs in the NFL.
"I knew I would come back at some point, because that’s what I told myself I was going to do," McNeill said Wednesday after he returned to practice, adding that rehab was as simple as "letting it scar down and heal back up."
The Lions' top defensive tackle will be back on the field for Sunday's season finale against the Vikings. The 23-year-old was thrilled just to return to the practice field after growing "antsy" sitting out. His teammates took care of business without him, clinching the NFC North two weeks ago in Minnesota to set up a home playoff game at Ford Field, "so I wasn’t tripping too hard," said McNeill.
"But once it got closer to the point where I’m back walking and squatting and doing everything, I'm like, alright, let’s get this on the road," he said.
McNeill's return is big for Detroit's defense, which has already begun to play better. He was having a Pro Bowl-caliber year at the time of his injury, with a career-high five sacks and 33 quarterback pressures in 12 games. He's also a key cog in stopping the run, where the Lions have excelled all season. He's the fifth highest-graded interior defender in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus.
The injury may have been a blessing in disguise. While the Lions survived without him, McNeill got a chance to recharge his batteries ahead of the biggest games of his career. After a couple weeks of rest, he hit the weight room and rebuilt some of the muscle he had naturally lost over the course of the season. He was wearing a bulky brace on his right knee at Wednesday's practice, but said it's custom to his leg and not at all restrictive.
"I’ve just been sitting for four weeks, just lifting, upper body and squatting, so l feel like I just came out of an offseason, in a way. I feel really, really good," said McNeill. "Obviously still got the knee, but I don’t feel it when I’m in this (brace), so it’s kind of a win-win situation for me. But I feel really good, really refreshed. The first two weeks all I could do was sleep and eat, so I got back on my sleep. I’m good, super good."
These aren't just words. Dan Campbell expects to see the same bounce in McNeill's step, starting Sunday against the Vikings.
"It’s going to be good to get him back. This time of year, for him, it’s going to kind of feel like game one again," said Campbell. "He’ll be fresh, have fresh legs and a fresh energy about him."
One of the building blocks of the Lions' rebuild, McNeill has endured a lot of disappointment in Detroit. He was part of the group that started 4-19-1 under Campbell and Brad Holmes and then agonizingly missed the playoffs on the final day of last season. This season has been the payoff. McNeill wasn't going to miss out on the fun.
"I just wanna win this next game, go to the playoffs and win the Super Bowl," he said.