Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta returned to practice on Tuesday after missing about a week due to a hip injury issue. LaPorta took part in both position and team drills in Tuesday's padded practice, according to a report from team insider Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. LaPorta missed the last eight games of the Lions' 2025 season after suffering a herniated disc that required season-ending back surgery in Week 10.
Through nine game appearances, he reeled in 40 catches for 489 yards and three touchdowns. Lions reporter Will Burchfield said LaPorta looked like himself during Tuesday's session. "Sam LaPorta caught a deep out route from Jared Goff in 7 on 7s today.
Took a bunch of 11 on 11 reps in a pretty physical practice," Burchfield reported. Assuming he feels fine tomorrow, I’d say concerns about Week 1 can be put to rest." LaPorta is looking to return to the historic production he put up during his rookie campaign in 2024, catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns. During a recent interview, Lions quarterback Jared Goff said he plans to get the ball to LaPorta often in 2026.
"Sam's one of our best players, so we will feed him," Goff said. "But we have guys at every skill position on offense, so we've got a lot of variability on who we can get the ball to and how we want to get it to them."
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