Sam LaPorta injury update: Will Detroit Lions TE play vs Rams?

Sam LaPorta’s season is almost over.

Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said Friday (Nov. 21) that LaPorta had back surgery and would likely miss the rest of the year, including Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

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“So listen, Sam had surgery and he’s going to be out for a while,” Campbell said during his press conference at Allen Park. “Some time. I think we’d be lucky to have a chance of getting 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 a 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 Friday and activated from IR 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 that will play in Sunday’s game.

LaPorta is fourth on the Lions with 40 catches 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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Here is the list of Lions tight ends for Sunday’s game against the Rams:

• Zach Horton (practice squad).

LaPorta, who turns 25 in January, set a rookie record with 86 catches as Iowa’s 2023 second-round pick.

He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason and is considered one of the Lions’ key 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 on Detroit Free Press: Sam LaPorta Injury Update: Will Detroit Lions TE Play Rams?