A day after telling reporters that rookie defensive lineman Josh Paschal was placed on the physically unable to perform list for a “sports hernia situation,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell elaborated more.
Campbell revealed that Paschal, the team’s second-round draft pick, had surgery for the core muscle issue. He did not give an exact date but noted it was “late spring, early summer”. Paschal was active for the Lions’ rookie minicamp in May, which would pin the surgery date down to sometime after May 15th.
Recovery time on core muscle surgery varies based on a variety of factors, but it generally takes 10-12 weeks for a full recovery. Cornerback Jeff Okudah missed six weeks in his rookie season after having similar surgery. One of the limiting factors in recovery to football is a lack of permitted exercise and weight-bearing activity in the post-surgery rehab process.
Paschal missed the end of his senior season at Kentucky with a related injury. Core muscle and sports hernia generally refer to the same basic injury but don’t always mean the same thing. He remains on the PUP list.
