Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta underwent a surgical procedure on his back and is unlikely to return this season, head coach Dan Campbell announced Friday.
LaPorta missed three days of practice last week due to a back injury and did not play in Detroit’s 16-9 loss Sunday to the Philadelphia Eagles. He was placed on injured reserve, a guarantee of missing at least four weeks.
That was wishful thinking, apparently.
“He did have a procedure, and he’s gonna be out for a while. A while,” Campbell said. “I think we would be fortunate to have a chance to get him back for the rest of the season at some point. I think that’s very, very slim.
“The good news is the procedure went really well (for the) long term.”
LaPorta, 24, is a key part of the offense for the Lions (6-4). A second-team All-Pro as a rookie in 2023, he has 489 yards on 40 catches this season with three touchdowns.
In his brief career, LaPorta has 186 catches for 2,104 yards and 20 scores in 42 games (39 starts).
The Lions host the New York Giants (2-9) on Sunday, then will have a quick turnaround before their annual Thanksgiving Day home game. They will play the Green Bay Packers that day in a key NFC North showdown.
