DETROIT -- Stephen Tulloch heard the questions all offseason and again on Tuesday night at the Taste of the Lions fan event at Ford Field.

Are you coming back? Are you healthy? Are you ready to play?

Those are all fair questions for the Detroit Lions' middle linebacker after he suffered the first major injury of his career, a torn ACL in Week 3 while celebrating a sack of Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers. It left him on the sidelines watching the Lions go 11-5 and pick up a rare playoff appearance.

So when he hears the questions, he has a pretty stock answer right now.

"I ask them if they like watching the games," Tulloch said. "They say, 'Yeah.' They ask, 'Are you healthy?' I say, 'Do you like watching football?' They say, 'Yeah.' I say, 'Yeah, I'm healthy.'

"Man, it's exciting. I'm excited about it. It's a blessing to be able to bounce back the way that I have and to be able to feel as good as I feel to be able to get out there, run around and do my thing."

He'll start running around more in a couple weeks, when he plans on participating in the team's organized team activities that begin in late May.

He's also confident in what he's seen thus far, both from watching last season and the limited work the Lions have been able to do during the first part of offseason activities last month.

"We're going to have a good season. We have a lot of good players coming back, the system is the second year under their belt," Tulloch said. "We have a great coaching staff. The chemistry is amazing in the locker room. We have everybody buying in. Have almost 100 percent attendance so far this offseason. Things are flowing so much better.

"We look good, man. It's going to be a good year."

Tulloch is obviously hoping to be healthy for all of it. Tulloch played in 131 straight regular-season games prior to the injury, amassing 806 tackles, 13.5 sacks and five interceptions. He had also been one of the emotional leaders of the Detroit defense before the ACL tear. When he was out, the Lions replaced him with a combination of Tahir Whitehead and Josh Bynes.

Meanwhile, Tulloch spent a lot of focus rehabbing his injury, including running, Pilates and yoga along with the typical training and physical therapy both in Miami and Michigan. Tulloch actually started doing Pilates two years ago after researching how former players improved their bodies and games in the offseason, particularly Lynn Swann doing ballet and Eddie George, who did both yoga and Pilates.

There was added intent this season, because Tulloch quickly grew tired of watching football on Sundays instead of playing.

"Something I never want to go through again in my life," Tulloch said. "Something I never want to have to deal with [again] in my life."