Allen Park — The speculation can cease. In his first public comments since rejoining the Detroit Lions, rookie offensive lineman Christian Mahogany confirmed he missed the first few weeks of training camp -- and remains on the non-football illness list -- due to a case of mononucleosis.
“That's all it was,” Mahogany told the Detroit Football Network. “It was unfortunate. I just didn't want to pass it on to anybody here, so I stayed away for a little bit.”
Once he was medically cleared by doctors back home in New Jersey, Mahogany quickly rejoined the team. He’s spent the past few weeks building back his strength and conditioning. He remains on NFI, which means he'll be sidelined for at least the first four games of the regular season.
It’s been a frustrating experience for the sixth-round draft pick, but one he realizes is out of his control. And after tearing his ACL in 2022, he’s learned how to be patient through a situation like this one.
“I've had football taken away before, so it's not a new feeling,” he said. “It's unfortunate, but things happen, illnesses happen. The timing was unfortunate, but I'm excited to get back. I'm hungry. ...I don't have a timeline. I'm just doing what they tell me. That's how I approach things: I listen before I speak. It's hard to not be frustrated because I want to play, but it is what it is.”
The counter to Mahogany’s frustration is gratitude. He knows the Lions could have easily moved on. Late-round picks aren’t promised anything, and this team has Super Bowl aspirations, so the franchise’s decision to stick with him is appreciated. It’s only adding to his desire to reward their faith.
“It just shows how much they care,” Mahogany said. “For me, it feels more like a family here. They're helping me out and I'm going to give them everything I can when I get back.”
While he builds back his strength, Mahogany is finding other ways to contribute to the team. Earlier this week, left tackle Taylor Decker noted the rookie was offering insight on Los Angeles Rams’ first-year defensive linemen Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, who Mahogany matched up against last season while they were playing for Florida State and he was at Boston College.
Those two rivals played Monday night, with Mahogany’s school pulling off the upset in front of a national audience. He’s understandably pumped about the result, and once the team is back home and settled, he plans to reach out to his former linemates for their notes on Verse to aid Decker.
“I just like giving that insight when I'm not active right now,” Mahogany said. “It's probably good for earning the trust of the older guys, but it also helps the team.”
Away from the practice facility, Mahogany is trying to do good on a different front. He’s been working diligently toward establishing a scholarship fund to honor former high school teammate and University of Georgia defensive lineman Devin Wilcox, who tragically passed away in a car accident in early 2023, shortly after the National Championship game.
Mahogany has raised more than $10,000 through GoFundMe, and is working on tapping into his network at Boston College and in Detroit for what he intends to be an annual scholarship program in Wilcox’s honor.
“Having the people of Detroit, even though I've never played a game here, stand behind me, it means a lot,” Mahogany said. “I'm glad where we're at right now. I definitely want to get it up and running before next spring, before the next school year.”
