The Detroit Lions left the 2025 NFL draft with a crop of promising rookies on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, one of the first-year stud's outlook is already in jeopardy after sixth-round pick Ahmed Hassanein suffered an upper-body injury during Saturday's 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins.
Hassanein, 23, has become quite the Lions offseason fan favorite due to his early preseason play and training camp performance. A serious injury is the last thing he needed with his NFL career about to begin, leaving the fan base concerned about whether or not he'll be healthy enough to play in Week 1, let alone this week's preseason finale against the Houston Texans.
Although a positive update is something Lions fans have been begging for, they received anything but that on Monday.
Lions Rookie DE Ahmed Hassanein in Danger of Missing Entire 2025 Season
According to MLive's Ben Raven, Hassanein is "going to be down for a while." Lions head coach Dan Campbell provided the local media with this update on Monday afternoon, adding that the rookie pass rusher is dealing with a pectoral injury and that he's unsure if Hassanein will be healthy enough to play in his rookie season.
Lions rookie EDGE Ahmed Hassanein "going to be down for a while." Dan Campbell says it's a pec. Not sure if he'll be able to make it back this season, doesn't have an answer for that right now.
— Ben Raven (@BenjaminSRaven) August 18, 2025
CB Khalil Dorsey will make it back to practice today.
Hopefully, Hassanein's injury isn't a season-ending situation, and that he can return to the gridiron before his rookie campaign is over. The former Boise State standout has the tools to be a solid rotational piece on Detroit's defensive line, and now it'll be up to him to get healthy enough in time to prove that to Campbell & Co.
Hassanein had already gotten off to a solid start this preseason, tallying a trio of solo tackles in his three preseason appearances. His Pro Football Focus grades further illustrate that story, proven by his respectable grades regarding tackling (74.9), pass rushing (66.3), and overall defense (73.5).
As Hassanein focuses on his recovery, time will tell which pass rushers will step up in his absence. Isaac Ukwu, Nate Lynn, and Mitchell Agude are each disruptors who need to prove themselves to the coaching staff, and Hassanein's injury now opens the door for them to steal a roster spot.
Needless to say, the Lions' pass-rushing situation is something fans will be keeping a close eye on during Saturday's preseason finale.