Detriot Lions safety Louis Delmas has admitted that he was delighted to get back on the field for the first time since last season in his side's pre-season win over the New England Patriots.

Delmas has been out with a knee injury for most of Jim Schwartz's side's off-season activities but returned against Tom Brady's offense and put in a solid performance.

"That performance was more satisfaction for me — self-satisfaction not really [as much] physically as it was mentally," Delmas told MLive.com.

"I hadn't played football since the last game of last season, and I was very anxious to get out there being that I hadn't really participated in camp like that. It's been satisfying."

Detroit open their regular season campaign on September 8 against the Minnesota Vikings.