Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has proven he's an excellent player when healthy, but he's struggled to stay healthy enough to be truly excellent over the past year-plus.
Unfortunately for the Lions and their fans, the team offered up news on LaPorta's health Thursday, August 20, that was more of the same.
"Lions TE Sam LaPorta got hit in the hip the other day, and the team is resting him, according to Dan Campbell," Eric Woodyard of ESPN reported via an X post. "It's unclear if this injury will carry over into Week 1."
#Lions TE Sam LaPorta got hit in the hip the other day and team is resting him, according to Dan Campbell. It's unclear if this injury will carry over into Week 1. "I feel like we'll be OK, but I don't know," Campbell said.
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) August 20, 2026
"I feel like we'll be OK, but I don't know," Campbell said, per Woodyard.
LaPorta missed eight games last year with a back injury that ultimately required surgery to fix. As a result, his on-field production dropped yet again. Since his breakout rookie campaign in 2023, the second-round pick out of Iowa has seen his targets, catches, yards, and touchdowns decrease with each passing season.
Sam LaPorta could miss multiple weeks of practice under new Lions offensive coordinator Drew Petzing
The optimistic viewpoint to assume is that Campbell feels "OK" about a player in LaPorta who is still just 25 years old and missed just one game across his first two NFL seasons.
But the pessimistic view is that LaPorta may now miss critical work with quarterback Jared Goff and the rest of the offense in a new system installed by coordinator Drew Petzing, who came over this offseason from the Arizona Cardinals.
"I feel like the addition with Drew Petzing is going to be great for us," Campbell said, per an article from Woodyard on Thursday. "I think it's going to get us centralized, back to being centralized more on offense."
Not only will it be difficult for LaPorta to maximize his play in Petzing's offense if he misses the next several weeks of on-field work, but it will be hard for Petzing to get off to the fast offensive start Detroit is likely to need to be successful this season if LaPorta can't hit the ground running in Week 1.
The Lions' defense has been plagued by injury and presents a number of concerning questions with Week 1 looming, particularly in the secondary. Detroit plays in a competitive, yet flawed, NFC North Division and could just as easily finish last as it could finish first. With the divisional margins as thin as they are, every day LaPorta misses is liable to add up.
His absence could also contribute to a potential long-term issue, as LaPorta is eligible for a contract extension and will become a free agent in March if he doesn't re-up with the Lions before then.
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