ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- British R&B singer Mark Morrison's classic 90s jam "Return of the Mack" blasted from the speakers at the Detroit Lions' Meijer Performance Center training facility at the start of Wednesday's practice.
The song was appropriate because one of Detroit's top defenders -- starting defensive tackle Alim McNeill -- had returned to the practice field for the first time since tearing the ACL in his right knee in December.
"(The song) was very good. I didn't expect it to happen but that was a good little touch. I liked that," McNeill said. "That got me going."
The Lions have officially started McNeill's 21-day practice window on Wednesday, and they're hoping he'll be ready ahead of their bye week in Week 8, but coach Dan Campbell and the training staff are being smart with his injury.
Detroit, which made McNeill a limited participant in practice this week, won't rush him back and it's unlikely he'll play on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox). Rookie Tyleik Williams has started the first four games at defensive tackle, with veteran defensive lineman DJ Reader playing alongside him.
However, after watching McNeill at practice, first-year Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is itching to get him back in the fold. Sheppard sees McNeill helping the defense "in a major way."
"I told Dan [Campbell] yesterday that it's amazing when you watch those practice clips. It's like he's been at training camp. I mean he does not look like a player that hasn't practiced, and that's credit to him," Sheppard said ahead of Thursday's practice. "I know all this bone density and all these guru terms they throw out, but all I know is I see a very, very high caliber defensive tackle when I turned on the tape yesterday so I'm very excited to have him back out there."
Although there's still no official date set for McNeill to suit up, he says he can't wait to play. Mentally, he said he has felt prepared for quite some time, but trusts the organization's process as he's coming off the first major injury of his career.
"I'm just taking it day-by-day, practice-by-practice right now and just putting good tape out there and let them know that I'm good to go," McNeill said. "I don't have a target date myself, but I can't wait 'til it is."
McNeill spent five months in San Diego rehabbing. He also worked with physical therapist Derek Samuel ahead of the organized team activities period during the offseason in addition to workouts with head strength and conditioning coach Josh Schuler and the Lions' strength staff.
There weren't many "dark days," according to McNeill, who said he kept a positive spirit while keeping things in perspective.
"Me personally, I can't have dark days just because that doesn't do anything for me. So, it's like, I have to go forward, and my only goal was to get back on the field," McNeill said. "So, I'm like, 'dark days for what?' I play for the Detroit Lions. I'm training. I don't have to pay for this training.
"... Every day I woke up, I was just like, 'Let's get better today,'" he said. "I knew I was coming back to the field. That's why I feel like I didn't have any dark days, but it was a process."
McNeill finished last season with 25 tackles and 3.5 sacks while starting in all 14 appearances becoming one of the key players on Detroit's defense.
"He's a hell of a player and a hell of a teammate and leader," Lions quarterback Jared Goff said. "Can do a whole bunch of different stuff on our D-line. I know he can line up kind of anywhere, stops the run, stops the pass. I know he gives our O-line fits whenever he's out there."
Last October, McNeill became the third member of Detroit's 2021 draft class (the 72nd overall) to sign a contract extension -- a four-year, $97 million deal which included $55 million guaranteed.
McNeill is now looking to pick up where he left off -- alongside Reader and Williams -- whenever that time comes.
"Double destruction now," McNeill said, smiling. "I see the same thing and we added another elite piece to the D-line now so that's my goal."
