Pride of Detroit
Two Boise State writers reflect on Ahmed Hassanein’s incredible journey to the NFL, and talk about his potential with the Detroit Lions
Ahmed Hassanein immediately won over the hearts of every Detroit Lions fan when he was drafted in the sixth-round. Sure, fans rejoiced the moment a pass rusher was selected, but the excitement truly came once we first heard him speak in his introductory press conference.
I’ve seen very few football players with as much heart and passion for the game as Hassanein, and we’ve yet to even see what he can do on the football field at a professional level. The sixth-round pick made waves at the NFL Combine for hyping up the coaches and matching their intensity during drills. Now, he’ll be doing the same with Dan Campbell in Detroit.
I spoke with Boise State football experts Michael Johnson and Shaun Goodwin to learn a bit more about everybody’s favorite new Detroit Lion:
Previously:
Johnson: Well, Ahmed only started playing football in 2019, so he was unaccustomed to the game itself. Much less, the nuances of his position. He was just big and strong. So, statistically, he had minimal impact in 2021 and 2022. In 2023, however, he had figured out enough to become truly dangerous. He went on a tear and ended up with 12.5 sacks, 16.5 TFLs, and 2 forced fumbles. The following year, in 2024, his sack production dipped, but that was more a function of a new D-coordinator that liked getting pressure from all positions. For example, three DBs had 12 sacks between them last year. Ahmed was every bit as impactful, though. He didn’t have another 12+ sack season but he still had 9.5 sacks and 15.5 TFLs. And he stepped up his run defense as a stronger complement.
Off the field, he’s always been a great program ambassador. Boise State has a tradition after every game–win or lose; home or away–where the players all take a lap around the field, in range of the first row of seats, so they can thank fans for coming with high fives, selfies, and autographs. For most games, I’m on the field taking photos, so I have a great vantage point of this. I’ve observed that Ahmed has always taken extra time to sign autographs for kids and he’s frequently one of the last players back into the locker room.
Goodwin: Football at the highest level is often a team of leaders, but Ahmed Hassanein takes that role to heart. He was named a team captain in 2024 and led by example in a program that highly values culture and togetherness. I don’t think I once heard Hassanein talk negatively about a teammate or person in the football program.
As a player, he’s the exact type...
