“Alim is freaking playing.”

And with that, Lions head coach Dan Campbell breaks the news that defensive tackle Alim McNeill will be activated from the PUP list and in the lineup when the Lions.

The full quote from Campbell, during his appearance on 97.1 the Ticket on Wednesday morning, when asked about McNeill’s status,

“Listen, barring something happening this week, Alim is freaking playing, man.”

McNeill has been sidelined since tearing his ACL last December. The Lions began his 21-day activation window earlier this month, and McNeill has been a steady participant in practices ever since. Last week, Campbell declared him 51/49 to play, but the team opted to rest McNeill another week.

Campbell highlighted McNeill’s production and ability in both the run and pass game, noting “he elevates everyone around him.”

McNeill had 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks in 14 games in 2024, numbers that don’t necessarily reflect how impactful the fifth-year DT has been in the middle of the defensive line.

This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: ‘Alim is freaking playing’: Dan Campbell declares DT McNeill ready