Lions tight end Sam LaPorta underwent surgery on his back and will likely miss the rest of the 2025 season, head coach Dan Campbell announced on Friday
Campbell said (via Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press) that chances of LaPorta returning this year were “very, very slim.” The 24-year-old was already slated for three more weeks on the sidelines after landing on injured reserve before Week 11. He is now expected to miss the Lions’ seven remaining games as well as the postseason, should they qualify.
LaPorta, 24, was having another excellent season, his third in the NFL since Detroit made him the 34th overall pick in the 2023 draft. He was on pace for career-highs across nearly every receiving category; 2025 will still stand as his most efficient season with 54.3 yards per game, 12.2 yards per reception, 10.0 yards per target, and a 81.6% catch rate.
LaPorta’s absence will be a significant, but perhaps not crippling blow to the Lions offense. The unit currently ranks fourth in points scored and fifth in total offense with top-10 numbers on the ground and through the air. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are still one of the best backfield duos in the league, and Jared Goff is having another fine season targeting wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams.
However, LaPorta was the Lions’ third-leading receiver with a key role as a blocker, and backup tight end Brock Wright will not be able to replace his impact through the air. Gibbs, Montgomery, and third-string wideout Kalif Raymond will see more work in the passing game, and losing LaPorta’s physical presence may lead to some red zone opportunities for 6-foot-4, 214-pound rookie receiver Isaac TeSlaa.
This is the first major injury of LaPorta’s NFL career. He played at least 900 snaps in each of his first two seasons with just one game on the sidelines. He will be hoping for a smooth recovery from surgery as he enters the final year of his rookie deal in 2026, when he will be eligible for an extension. The Lions have established a pattern of rewarding their young stars with strong second contracts, often at the top of their positional market. However, with fellow 2023 draftees Gibbs, Jack Campbell, and Brian Branch also reaching extension-eligibility, general manager Brad Holmes will have to get creative to keep all of his core players and stay under the salary cap.
Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean, that really got out of hand fast.