The Detroit Lions just took a massive blow to their NFC North division crown.
The helmet of a Detroit Lions player sits on the grass during a training camp practice at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
The helmet of a Detroit Lions player sits on the grass during a training camp practice at Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park on Saturday, July 26, 2025.
Star tight end Sam LaPorta is heading to injured reserve with a back injury, knocking him out for at least mid-December.
Sam LaPorta’s Back Injury Forces Extended Absence for Lions
The Lions placed LaPorta, who signed a four-year rookie contract totaling approximately $9.47 million, on IR Saturday afternoon. The timing seemed too perfect to be worse since it happened less than 24 hours before their primetime showdown with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles.
Not surprisingly, this news dropped like a giant shock. LaPorta suffered the back injury most likely in Week 10 and was unable to practice all week. He was initially ruled out for Sunday’s game. But the IR report makes it official.
Tom Pelissero reported, “The Lions placed TE Sam LaPorta on injured reserve. He’s out at least four games.”
The Lions placed TE Sam LaPorta on injured reserve. He’s out at least four games.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) November 15, 2025
Given the timeline, the earliest possibility of LaPorta’s return is Week 15 against the Rams. That means he’ll miss critical matchups against the Eagles, Giants, Packers, and Cowboys. Four games that could make or break Detroit’s playoff seeding.
He caught five passes on five targets for 53 yards in Week 10 against Washington. He showed no signs of injury during that game. Lions coach Dan Campbell was also not specific when asked about the injury on Friday, other than noting that LaPorta probably wouldn’t practice.
Currently, we have no details on what happened or when it occurred, except that his TE1 was damaged.
With LaPorta unavailable, the Lions will turn to Brock Wright for TE1 duties. Campbell expressed confidence in his backup tight end crew on Friday.
“Brock’s a guy we don’t talk a lot about, but he’s the jack of all trades,” Campbell said. “He does everything for us: Pass protect, run block, he can run some routes, he plays special teams. He’s one of the most dependable players we have on this team.”
Ross Dwelley is the other remaining tight end on the active roster. In the mix, Aidan Hutchinson’s missing practice due to an elbow issue puts the defense in the spotlight. To help fill the void, the Lions promoted wide receivers Tom Kennedy and Jackson Meeks from the practice squad.
But nobody on this roster replaces what LaPorta brings to the table.
Lions Fans React With Frustration and Disbelief
Social media was caught off guard after the news dropped out of nowhere without any prior reminder. Lions supporters are still reeling from the rapid unfolding of events.
One devastated fan asked, “How is Laporta out 4 weeks when nothing was said all week about his injured back?????”
Another said, “Lions missing their secret weapon.”
“Big loss for the Lions,” a third claimed.
Detroit’s offense ranked seventh in the league before this news. Now they’re heading into a brutal four-game stretch without their second-leading pass catcher. They cannot afford any room for margin of error.
A random frustrated X user remarked, “Fuck my fantasy season.”
Fantasy managers took a blood bath with this news. Injuries are mounting at a critical time, and losing LaPorta for a month could derail their entire playoff plans. Until he returns, St. Brown and Williams will carry the load so that the franchise doesn’t slip from the position.