With the Detroit Lions' season now over, the shift to the offseason is here. A part of that will be how some notable injured players progress through their recoveries, including defensive tackle Alim McNeill.
McNeill was added to the lengthy list of injured Lions' defenders when he suffered a torn right ACL in Week 15 against the Buffalo Bills. In the moment it was clear he knew something was significantly wrong, and the worst case was quickly confirmed the next day.
The Lions cleaned out their lockers on Sunday. McNeill was spotted on crutches in the locker room and he talked to reporters with his right leg wrapped and a brace from his mid-thigh to his lower calf.
McNeill talked about the uniqueness of his injury for him.
"I had no clue what it was but I knew it was something a little fishy about it, how it was feeling at the time," McNeill said, via Jared Ramsey of the Detroit Free Press. "But as far as the season cut short, it was definitely tough. 100% tough. This is the first time I've ever had a season-ending injury and first time having surgery so it was all new stuff to me...Now that we're done, I gotta get back on the field as fast as I can. I'm not gonna rush or anything but I'm gonna push myself for sure."
Alim McNeill acknowledges uncertainty of his recovery timeline at such an early stage
Just five weeks out from when he suffered the injury, McNeill said surgery went well. But he acknowledged the uncertainty of his recovery timeline at this early stage.
"As far as time wise, I have no clue," McNeill said. "I'm just taking it day by day right now. I'm just going through the process right now."
ACL recoveries typically take nine months to a year, depending on how rehab goes, and there's a general consensus that a player is not all the way back to full strength until further than that out from the injury. It's unknown if McNeill had any other significant damage in his knee that might add to his recovery time, but that general 9-12 month timeline essentially spans next season.