Organized Team Activities can feel pretty tame—until a 245-pound NFL tight end crashes into the offensive coordinator. That’s exactly what happened Friday when Detroit Lions TE Sam LaPorta accidentally plowed into OC John Morton during individual drills, giving everyone (brief) heart-palpitations before turning into a light-hearted scene.
TL;DR
Sam LaPorta ran a crossing route and collided with OC John Morton, who wasn’t looking his way.
LaPorta hit the turf, Morton didn’t budge, and—thankfully—no one was hurt.
The tight end popped up and jokingly tossed his towel like a penalty flag on his coach.
From Scare to Laugh in Three Seconds
Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit describes it like a slap-stick blooper reel:
“LaPorta was running a route over the middle when he accidentally collided with offensive coordinator John Morton, who was not looking in his direction,” Reisman wrote. “LaPorta went tumbling to the ground while Morton was unscathed. The Lions’ tight end immediately got up and threw his towel in the air, pretending to call a penalty on Morton. Thankfully, no one was injured.”
Why It Matters (Sort Of)
Health Bulletin: No injuries reported; LaPorta resumed practice.
Coach Toughness: Morton’s still got a perfect QB rating in durability.
Team Chemistry: A little humor mid-practice keeps spirits high—and reminds everyone to keep their head on a swivel.
With OTAs continuing next week, the Lions will surely review film to correct route depth, spacing, and… sideline awareness for coaches.