Detroit Lions rookie defensive end Ahmed Hassanein has the worth ethic and determination to quickly endear himself to his teammates, coaching staff and the fanbase.
In his first introduction to Lions local media, Hassanein told reporters he was willing to die on the field playing for coach Dan Campbell. He already seems to embody Detroit's culture, and seems to be a player that will be easy for fans to root for.
Spencer Danielson, who was Hassanein's head coach at Boise State, explained that the young defender will quickly become a fan favorite due to how hard he plays and his willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
"The Detroit fan base will absolutely fall in love with Ahmed Hassenein," said Danielson, via the Detroit News. "Period, point blank, end of story. He will be an absolute fan favorite because of how hard he plays, how much he's gonna love the team, love the fans. Just get ready."
The Lions have placed value on players who showcase a tireless work ethic and an insatiable desire to improve. Hassanein checks those boxes, and Danielson believes it will be a seamless transition for him based on his willingness to learn.
"He's a relentless learner. He studies — like, he can listen and learn," Danieson explained. "Some guys can't. I don't care if they played football their whole life ... listening and learning is a hard trait nowadays because it's such an attention span deal with the phones. Ahmed will focus and listen and learn. He is locked in when you speak to him."
Hassanein's play-style was one of the motivating factors for the Lions to draft him. He is physical, tough and plays extremely fast. As a result, he seems to be an ideal fit for how the Lions plan to play defensively under new coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
“We acquired him because he plays with his hair on fire, and as, let’s call it developmental, as he is, he just – he plays hard," said GM Brad Holmes. "We talk about just, I think I said the other night, what do you have to do at that position? You’ve got to set edges and win rushes. And when I say win rushes, it’s not just getting a sack, you can win rushes just by harassment and power and collapsing the pocket and just sheer effort. So, we just liked the upside of him, we like his football character, his work ethic, his passion.”
Hassanein explained his motivation during his post-draft media conference, explaining that he takes pride in being a player that opponents dread lining up against.
“It means I never stop. I never stop. I am always going. I am always willing to learn. I never settle. When you teach me something, I’ll go 100 miles per hour every snap, every play. I will never settle," Hassanein said. "That’s just who I am. I am ready to die on the football field because he believes in me. I truly feel that. Just the consistency and the growth and the physicality that I bring, I never stop. Offensive linemen hate going against me just because I keep going after them every play, every play, every play, even if I get blocked. I get back up and do it again, do it again, do it again because that’s who I am. That’s who I am.”
Hassanein is still relatively new to the game of football, as he started playing football as a sophomore in high school. He dominated in his final two seasons at Boise State, but will now have to adjust to another uptick in competition.
However, the potential he possesses with his athleticism and strength make his future very intriguing. The Lions have a solid track record of developing players, and Hassanein's relentless work ethic could aid in him fully reaching his overall ceiling.
“That’s the coolest part about it is that there’s so much untapped potential inside of him. But he has the foundation that you have to have for a football player, and that’s effort," Holmes said. "He plays with high effort nonstop. The more you get to know the person and the energy that he brings, you feel really good about it, because that energy shows on the field.”
