The Detroit Lions got a much-needed boost this week — and it came in the form of a promising rehab update on linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez.
After suffering a torn ACL on Thanksgiving Day against the Chicago Bears, many fans feared the worst when it came to Rodriguez’s status for the 2025 season. But on Friday, Rodriguez took to social media and posted a video that’s turning heads across the Lions fanbase: he’s already sprinting — just over four months after the injury.
— DetroitSportsNation (@detsportsnation) April 6, 2025
Encouraging Signs from Rodriguez
It wasn’t a full-speed sprint, but for a player recovering from a major knee injury, lightly sprinting this early is a fantastic sign.
Considering how important Rodriguez has been to the Lions’ linebacker depth — and the devastating toll injuries took on the defense in 2024 — this is exactly the kind of update Detroit needed to see. The defense crumbled in the postseason, especially after losing key players like Rodriguez and Aidan Hutchinson to injury.
What’s Next for Rodriguez?
Rodriguez enters the final year of his rookie contract in 2025 and is currently slotted as the No. 4 linebacker behind Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone, and Derrick Barnes, who is also rehabbing a major injury.
While Rodriguez might not open the year as a starter, his versatility, motor, and special teams value make him a valuable piece of the puzzle. If he continues to progress this way, there’s no reason he can’t carve out a bigger role as the season goes on.
