Lions TE Was Walking ‘Like an 80-Year-Old’ Before Opting for Season-Ending Surgery

Lions TE was walking ‘like an 80-year-old’ before opting for season-ending surgery

LaPorta said he tried to play through the issue. But then he was walking around like an "80-year-old man" and couldn't do a single calf raise, leading him and the team to viewing surgery as the best path forward.

Sam LaPorta Opens Up: The Real Reason His 2025 Season Suddenly Ended

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta met with reporters as the team wrapped up postseason media availability, and for the first time, he opened up about the back injury that cut his 2025 season short, and why surgery ultimately became unavoidable. LaPorta revealed that the injury actually dates back to Detroit’s matchup against the Washington Commanders, when a series of hits finally caught up to him. “There were some accumulated falls and hits t…

Lions TE Sam LaPorta offers injury details, 2026 expectations

There’s been a little mystery surrounding Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta’s back injury that cost him the final eight games of the season. All we’ve really heard is that it required season-ending surgery, and the 2023 second-round pick is expected to be ready by training camp in 2026. On locker room cleanout day, LaPorta spoke to the media for the first time since the surgery and gave a little more background on what happened. According to L…