The Detroit Lions will be without a major piece of their offense against the Pittsburgh Steelers next month. Head coach Dan Campbell confirmed to reporters Friday that stud TE Sam LaPorta is doubtful to return in the regular season after undergoing back surgery.
“Dan Campbell confirms Lions TE Sam LaPorta had a surgery on his back, chances of him returning this year are ‘very, very slim,'” wrote beat writer Dave Birkett on Twitter/X late Friday morning.
Dan Campbell confirms Lions TE Sam LaPorta had a surgery on his back, chances of him returning this year are “very, very slim”
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) November 21, 2025
Those chances are slim for the regular season and presumably zero to return by the time the Lions and Steelers square off exactly one month from now on Dec. 21, a Week 16 affair. It’s a major loss for a Lions offense that has featured LaPorta since selecting him in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
In nine games this season, LaPorta has posted 40 receptions for 489 yards, and three touchdowns. His catches rank second on the team while his yards and scores place third. Detroit lacks strong tight end depth and will have to rely on its running backs and wide receivers to compensate. The Lions have talent there with the likes of Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Still, LaPorta takes away a big element in the middle of the field and security blanket for QB Jared Goff, who has struggled at points this season.
As a rookie, LaPorta made an instant impact and had one of the best first years by any tight end in NFL history. He finished the year with nearly 90 receptions for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. His production dipped slightly as a sophomore in 2024 but he played well in the Lions’ lone playoff game, making a spectacular touchdown catch in a loss to the Washington Commanders.
Pittsburgh will still have its hands full with Detroit’s creative and high-octane offense. But not facing LaPorta will make that challenge more manageable as the Steelers will count on wins late in the season to keep solid division and playoff footing. So far, Pittsburgh is 1-1 against the NFC North with a win over the Minnesota Vikings and loss to the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers take on the Chicago Bears this Sunday.
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