Detroit Lions defensive end Ahmed Hassanein is getting ready for Year 2 in the NFL, and he’s already planning a small but meaningful change.
After spending his rookie season wearing No. 61, Hassanein is expected to switch to a more traditional pass-rusher number this offseason. According to Detroit Free Press reporter Dave Birkett, the former Boise State standout is looking to move into the 50s or 90s, a range that better fits the edge-rusher role he’s carving out in Detroit.
Hassanein’s first year in the league was anything but smooth. A preseason pectoral injury forced the Lions to waive him with an injury settlement, keeping him off injured reserve but temporarily off the active roster. That decision allowed him to rehab and eventually work his way back onto Detroit’s practice squad, where he finished the season.
Despite interest from other teams, Hassanein chose to stay with the organization that drafted him in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Now fully healthy and heading into his second NFL season, the 23-year-old appears focused on turning the page — and even his jersey number is getting a fresh start.
A new number, a clean slate, and another shot to prove he belongs in the Lions’ defensive rotation. For Hassanein, Year 2 is all about looking the part and playing it.
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