Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said on Friday, Nov. 21, that LaPorta underwent back surgery and will likely miss the rest of the year, including Sunday’s game against the LA Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
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“Look, Sam had a procedure and he’s going to be out for a while,” Campbell said during his Allen Park news conference. “A while. I think we’d be lucky to have the opportunity to have him back for the rest of the season, at some point. I think it’s very, very slim.”
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LaPorta injured his back in the Lions’ Nov. 9 win over the Washington Commanders, was placed on injured reserve and missed the Nov. 16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
Brock Wright is recovering from a trachea injury and isn’t expected to return until the playoffs, and Shane Zylstra, out for weeks, was listed as questionable on Friday and activated from IR on Saturday. He and Anthony Firkser – with two catches for 11 yards in three games – are the only tight ends on the Lions’ 53-man roster entering Sunday’s game.
LaPorta is fourth among the Lions with 40 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns and has been a key threat in the red zone and on third down this year.
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Lions TE Depth Chart
Here is the Lions’ tight end roster for Sunday’s game against the Rams:
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Zach Horton (practice squad).
LaPorta, who will turn 25 in January, set a rookie record with 86 receptions as a second-round pick out of Iowa in 2023.
He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and is considered one of the Lions’ top homegrown players.
“The good news is that the procedure went very well in the long run,” Campbell said.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared in the Detroit Free Press: Sam LaPorta injury update: Will Detroit Lions play TE against Rams?