Pride of Detroit
When Detroit Lions cornerback D.J. Reed suffered a hamstring injury in just his fourth game of the 2025 season, it was so bad that he was sure he was going to need surgery.
“It was tough, I’m not going to lie,” Reed told reporters on Thursday. “Just with the severity of the strain. I thought that I initially needed surgery.”
Reed worked his way through extensive rehab and managed to find his way back onto the field just two months later. He had to re-teach himself how to walk and run, but he did it. He finished out the season in Detroit by starting the final seven games of the season.
By his own admission, though, he wasn’t the same player upon his return. He didn’t feel all that different out on the field, but when he turned on the tape, he noticed he was falling behind receivers in a way he hadn’t before the injury.
“It wasn’t like I was going out there and I couldn’t run, it was more so like, I was watching the tape and watching how I was covering guys before the injury, I was just more stickier, and I had that burst that I’m accustomed to having,” Reed said. “Just with watching later in the season in other games, it was the same thing, same technique, but guys were just running by me. I just didn’t have that extra gear.”
So Reed sought out solutions to gain that explosiveness back. Previously, he got a tip from a former teammate and close friend: future Hall of Fame linebacker Fred Warner. Warner told him to pursue stem cell treatment, so Reed did exactly that, heading down to Panama to hopefully speed up the healing process and get his speed back.
“I’ve been going there for not only my hammy from last year, but I get a couple things done while I’m down there,” Reed said.
I asked if he felt like he has his explosiveness back now as the Lions close out their offseason activities.
“Yeah, it’s definitely there now,” Reed said.
Last offseason, the Lions invested heavily in Reed. After not being able to retain Carlton Davis in free agency, they handed Reed a three-year, $48 million contract in the hopes he could be their long-term starter opposite first-round pick Terrion Arnold. It’s a critical year for Reed, because while there’s a third year on that deal for 2027, it’s basically a team option with a $13.6 million option bonus that triggers only if he’s still on the roster by April.
So Reed is continuing to put in the work, because the rehab and prehab of the hamstring isn’t done.
“It feels good, but it’s something that you need to continue to work out and rehab,” Reed said.
