ALLEN PARK — They took his iPad and his roster spot.
But they could not take his spirit.
Now fully healthy, Detroit Lions rookie edge defender Ahmed Hassanein is just happy to be back in the building. Hassanein, who was added back to the practice squad this week after being waived with an injury settlement during the summer, repeatedly said it was a “blessing” to be around the team again – so much so that he turned down offers from 31 other teams to join their practice squad while he was officially away from the Lions.
Detroit waived Hassanein with an injury settlement instead of placing him on injured reserve with the hopes of preserving their limited number of IR-to-return spots. Teams can only bring back eight players from injured reserve per season.
This action left him open to being signed by other teams, but going anywhere else was never under consideration. While it might sound like an exaggeration that all 31 teams wanted to sign a sixth-round pick to their practice squad, it’s likely true: As an International Player Pathway (IPP) player, he is exempt from counting against one of a team’s 16 available roster spots, so there’s no downside to bringing him in.
“I’m a loyal guy, and this team picked me for a reason, and I truly feel this is the best team for me, and this team means everything to me,” Hassanein said. “Because when somebody picks me, I’m a loyal guy, man. I stick with them and I don’t want to leave. … I was like, ‘Man, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying here.’ Because this is where I want to be and this team believes in me, and I love them.”
Hassanein, the NFL’s first Egyptian-born player, instantly became a fan favorite because of his infectious enthusiasm, persistent energy, and genuine gratitude. He told Lions coach Dan Campbell that he would die for him after being selected with the 196th pick out of Boise State.
“He’s fired up to be back,” Campbell said. “He loves ball.”
After a promising start to his rookie training camp, Hassanein had a solid debut in the team’s preseason opener against the Chargers, recording four tackles and a quarterback pressure. But in the team’s third preseason game against the Miami Dolphins on Aug. 16, Hassanein suffered a pectoral injury that forced him out of action for nearly three full months.
His removal from the roster prevented him from being in the team facility during his rehab, but he stayed in the area and drove past the facility every day.
“I drove, every day, and I saw the facility, and I was like, ‘Man, I really want to go in there and say ‘Hi,”” Hassanein said. “But it was tough. I’m just grateful to be here and to have a locker room. I’m really grateful for that — to have a number, to go in and get treatment, to have meals ready, to have shakes, to have vitamins — all that, I’m really grateful for.”
If one didn’t know any better, they might think Hassanein’s endlessly thankful demeanor is an act. But spend a couple of days around him, and you’ll realize it’s anything but.
“Even before he was back, the paragraph texts he sent me after the game, and, ‘Just thrilled to have the opportunity to be coached by you guys,'” Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said. “I mean, he’s a very unique individual from a standpoint of, I don’t know if he’s ever had a bad day. I’m serious. It’s unbelievable.
“His energy’s contagious, almost comes off at first — people saw him yelling before the drill, like, is this fake? Is this — is he seriously being serious when he says, ‘Coach, I absolutely love you. No, I’m serious.’ I’m like, ‘Love you too?’ But he’s serious. He means it.”
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Ahmed Hassanein (61) walks off the field after the NFL football team's rookie minicamp in Allen Park, Mich., Friday, May 9, 2025. (PAUL SANCYA — AP Photo)
Hassanein admitted that watching games was tough for him. He wanted to celebrate with his teammates after wins and go through the losses. He wanted to be in meeting rooms, working on his craft, even when he couldn’t be on the field. He just wanted to be in the locker room when Campbell spoke.
But because he was officially off the roster, he had to improve on his own. The Lions even took back the iPad he used to watch film, in accordance with NFL rules.
NFL rules also stipulate that when a player is waived with an injury settlement, he must wait until three weeks after the settlement expires to re-sign with the team that waived them. So while he was officially cleared around Week 7, he had to continue his wait.
All of this is to say that nobody’s ever been happier than Hassanein was this week, when he got to go back to work.
“That was the tough part a little bit, because I wanted to keep a connection and just to feel the coaches again, but now that I have that connection again, I’m never gonna leave the opportunity or take it for granted,” Hassanein said.
“Now, I just want to say, ‘What’s up?’ to coach every time I see him, or like, ‘Hey, coach, what’s up? How’s it going today? Hey, let’s give it all I got today.’ Having that feeling of being coached again means the world to me.”