Latest news with #LaPorta
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Lions Announce Key Update on Sam LaPorta Injury
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Detroit Lions enter the 2025 NFL season as one of the top contenders in the NFC. Last season, they finished the best record in the league at 15-2. Unfortunately, that success did not translate to the playoffs. In their first playoff matchup against the Washington Commanders, the Lions were quickly eliminated by a final score of 45-31. Their regular season dominance didn't mean a thing and was completely wasted. Sitting with that sour taste all offseason long was not fun for the team. However, they are more than ready to get back on the field and get back to winning football games. Sam LaPorta #87 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Ford Field on October 08, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Sam LaPorta #87 of the Detroit Lions celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Ford Field on October 08, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. Photo by ReyDuring preseason and training camp action, tight end Sam LaPorta went down with an injury. A new update has been provided about his status. Read more: Bears Announce Major Caleb Williams News Dan Campbell, Detroit's head coach, has stated that LaPorta will miss a little time due to his most recent injury. "LaPorta will be down," Campbell said. "It's not major, but he will miss a little bit of time here." LaPorta has started off his NFL career on a very strong note. After being a star for the Iowa Hawkeyes in college, he has taken his game to a much higher level during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Last season, LaPorta put together a strong second campaign. He racked up 60 receptions for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. Back in his rookie season in 2023, he caught 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 scores. There are few tight ends in the NFL more dangerous than LaPorta. He has followed very nicely in the footsteps of fellow Iowa alum and current San Francisco 49ers star tight end George Kittle. On the outside looking in, the Lions' offense looks elite once again. Jared Goff still leads the way at quarterback, with LaPorta, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Tim Patrick as other top passing game weapons. Both Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are back at running back. Read more: Broncos Fans Will Hate This Shocking Bo Nix Prediction From ESPN If Detroit can play up to its potential, a Super Bowl run is a very real possibility. LaPorta may be out for a bit due to injury, but it sounds likely that he'll be good to go for the start of the regular season. Assuming that is the case, the Lions will look to hit the ground running and get off to a hot start. They will have a chance to start that process with a Week 1 matchup against the NFC North rival Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. For more on the Detroit Lions and general NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
NBC Sports
6 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Sam LaPorta fantasy football preview 2025: Stats, season outlook, predictions
Rotoworld Staff, Sam LaPorta 2025 Fantasy Football Snapshot Started slow last season but became a red-zone weapon, scoring seven touchdowns over his final 12 games. Loses OC Ben Johnson and some target share security, with John Morton's more vertical offense likely to favor Jameson Williams. LaPorta remains a mid-range TE1, but upside hinges on injuries ahead of him in the target pecking order. Get personalized fantasy football insights based on your league settings with FantasyLife+. Your league is unique, your advice should be too. Head to and use code ROTO20 for 20% off. 2024: A panic sell after his 12/147/0 September, Lions OC Ben Johnson managed to find seven touchdowns for LaPorta in the next 12 games of the season. There was more risk in LaPorta's profile with several quiet fantasy football games (3/6, 3/19, 1/25, etc.) but if you needed someone to score a touchdown, LaPorta fit the bill. LaPorta's major problem was that Jameson Williams quickly developed into the team's No. 2 option and cannibalized the 2023 target share that LaPorta had grown. What's changed: Ben Johnson is gone and John Morton is promising a downfield offense with more lightning. Let us give you one guess if that will benefit Williams or LaPorta more in 2025. You're right, it is not the guy we are currently profiling. Outlook: LaPorta would probably be a real threat to go back to 120-target seasons if Williams or Amon-Ra St. Brown got hurt, but absent that it's hard to imagine what LaPorta can do on his own to be better than a mid-range TE1. The offense doesn't seem to be breaking in his direction and the team has too many reasons to feed Williams and St. Brown. **Projections from Spotlight Sports Group Go to: All players | QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs
Time of India
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Sam LaPorta gets spiritual boost from Pope Leo XIV—are the Lions heaven-bound this NFL season?
Sam LaPorta visits the Vatican with wife (Instagram/_slaporta and callahanlaporta) Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is heading into the new NFL season with a spiritual boost that few can match. Fresh off a standout Pro Bowl rookie year, LaPorta took a detour from football to experience a once-in-a-lifetime moment — receiving a blessing from none other than Pope Leo XIV at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. Lions fans believe Sam LaPorta's Vatican visit could bring divine luck to Detroit's NFL campaign The visit came shortly after LaPorta and his wife, Callahan, tied the knot on June 14. The newlyweds traveled to the Vatican as part of their post-wedding celebration, and the moment was documented in photos shared by LaPorta on Instagram. 'Thank you to a very busy man for blessing me and my bride,' he wrote in the caption. 'A special moment we'll never forget.' While many fans have already dubbed the Lions as one of the top contenders in the NFC this year, LaPorta might just be bringing more than talent to the locker room — he's bringing divine favor. After all, not many NFL players can say they were blessed by the pope himself before the season kicks off. Interestingly, Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost in Chicago and appointed in May, has already made headlines for his unexpected connection to American sports. A die-hard fan of the Chicago White Sox, he was once seen cheering during the 2005 World Series. The White Sox have embraced the Pope's loyalty, even dedicating a mural to him at Guaranteed Rate Field and offering him the opportunity to throw out the first pitch at a game. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Do you have a mouse? Play this for 1 minute and see why everyone is crazy about it. Play Game Undo The pope's NFL allegiances remain a bit murky, though. In late May, Vice President J.D. Vance presented him with a custom Chicago Bears jersey that read 'Pope Leo' and bore the number XIV. The pope's response? A subtle but telling 'Good choice.' New Bears head coach Ben Johnson — who previously served as the Lions' offensive coordinator — admitted in May, 'I heard rumblings, but that hasn't been discussed too much firsthand,' when asked about Pope Leo's potential football preferences. As for LaPorta, he's coming off a stellar second season, notching 60 receptions, 726 yards, and seven touchdowns. The Lions ended the regular season at 15-2 before falling to the Commanders in the divisional round. Now, as they prepare for the next chapter without Ben Johnson and former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn (now the Jets' head coach), the team hopes to keep its NFC North dominance alive. With skill, momentum, and perhaps a little divine intervention, the Lions — and LaPorta — could be primed for something special this season. Also Read: Swifties can't handle Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's red carpet PDA: "He was going to kiss her forehead but she went straight in" For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here . Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Amon-Ra St. Brown Reveals Lions Player He's Excited About Heading Toward Fall Camp
Amon-Ra St. Brown Reveals Lions Player He's Excited About Heading Toward Fall Camp originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Detroit Lions finished 15-3 last season but were unable to achieve their biggest goal of reaching and winning Super Bowl LIX after winning the NFC North Division. Advertisement The Lions' offense put 31 points on the board against the Washington Commanders but lost 45-31 amid three Jared Goff interceptions. The Lions were led in receiving by Amon-Ra St. Brown, who had 8 catches for 137 yards and a touchdown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta and others. On Monday, St. Brown revealed the Lions player he's excited about heading into fall camp who could take a big leap forward in 2025-26. Sam LaPorta makes a practice catch over the shoulder on June 5, 2025. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images St. Brown chose LaPorta as his breakout player for this upcoming season, noting that he believes LaPorta has room to grow in new offensive coordinator John Morton's offense. "Not taking anything away from what he did last year," St. Brown said. "He's a baller, but I can tell this year, he's making plays out there every day," he added. Advertisement "He's gonna have a big year." The Lions' passing attack is expected to look similar to last year's with LaPorta at tight end, backed up by Brock Wright along with Kenny Yeboah and Shane Zylstra. St. Brown is expected to be joined by a thicker-built, stronger Jameson Williams and Tim Patrick, who made memorable contributions down the stretch of the Lions' division title run. LaPorta's memorable diving touchdown catch against the Commanders showed the former Iowa star has another gear he is capable of reaching. Now, the task will be to make the extraordinary look ordinary as the Lions prepare for what they hope will be another championship season. Advertisement Related: Mark Wahlberg Did Not Hesitate to Give His 2025-26 Detroit Lions Prediction This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Fantasy Football: 2025 rookie TEs facing burden of unrealistic expectations after historic Sam LaPorta, Brock Bowers opening acts
With the NFL Draft still fresh in our minds but with a chance to further digest the results, I thought it was a good time to dig into Pro Football Reference and see just how well the key positions have performed as rookies in the fantasy era. The series starts with tight ends, but we'll also be covering the QBs, RBs and WRs. For years, the rule of thumb was good to us. Ignore rookie tight ends; the position is too complicated. The players need development time. We'll revisit these guys in a few years, after they've been around the track a little bit. And then Sam LaPorta landed in 2023 with a 86-889-10 line, finishing TE1. And then Brock Bowers detonated in 2024, another TE1 score en route to setting new rookie marks for catches and yards by a tight end. Rookies on a rampage. What the heck's going on out here? To be fair, both LaPorta (a second-round selection) and Bowers (the 13th overall pick in last year's draft) came into the league with glittering comps. LaPorta was linked to George Kittle, two hits from the Iowa tight end factory. Bowers was comped to Travis Kelce, another star headed to the Hall of Fame. You can't do much better than that. Rookie tight ends are important to consider this season because two of them were taken in the first round. The Bears tabbed Colston Loveland out of Michigan with the 10th overall pick, and Tyler Warren of Penn State went to the Colts four selections later. And with LaPorta and Bowers dancing in our heads, we have to at least consider what upside Loveland and Warren might offer in their debut seasons If you're playing the comp game, Loveland links with Trey McBride, while Warren tracks to Jason Witten. Maybe that's a half-step from Kittle and Kelce, but that's not bad. I think it's important to revisit just how underwhelming rookie tight ends tended to be before the 2023 season, when LaPorta dropped. Let's open the history books, focusing on the Fantasy Era, from 2000 to today. (And let's be transparent, we explored this last year, when the final conclusion was a fade of Bowers. Not good. Not fun.) — Before Loveland, five tight ends had been drafted with top-10 picks over this period. Kyle Pitts had a quirky 2021 rookie campaign, with 1,026 yards but just one touchdown. He graded as the TE7 in half-point per reception scoring that season; he's been the TE33, TE14 and TE15 since. Largely a pain in the neck. — Kellen Winslow II was the sixth pick in 2004 and got hurt. He played in just two games that season. — Vernon Davis was hyped as the No. 6 pick out of Maryland in 2006. He missed six games as a rookie and didn't do much in the time he was healthy (20-265-3). Davis eventually became a good player, charting four times at TE8 or better (and he was the No. 1 TE in 2009). — T.J. Hockenson (eighth pick, 2019) is part of the Iowa tight end legacy. His first year was underwhelming: 32-367-2. He missed four games. — Eric Ebron (10th pick, 2014) never met a pass he didn't want to drop. He gave the Lions 13 mediocre games in his first year (25-248-1). It's no wonder the fantasy ethos became "ignore rookie tight ends" around this period. There are a few occasional hits if we look at other first-round tight ends (there were 27 picks in all). Evan Engram's 2017 debut grades out best among the first-round rookies in our target area: a 64-722-6 haul over 15 games. He edges past Pitts in standard scoring; Pitts is slightly ahead on half PPR. Engram was TE5 that year. This season, he's looking to reinvent himself on the Broncos. Touchdown deodorant (six scores each) coaxed a TE11 season from Heath Miller and a TE17 season from O.J. Howard. Jeremy Shockey and Dalton Kincaid both made it past 70 receptions. Noah Fant and Dustin Keller were the only other first-round tight ends who made it past 500 yards receiving. The second-round survey opens us up to some exciting seasons. LaPorta, of course, was the 34th pick in the 2023 draft. Rob Gronkowski had 10 touchdowns as a rookie; Pat Freiermuth had seven. John Carlson checked in with a solid 50-627-5 season. The later rounds include plenty of players who went on to become stars, though most of their debut seasons were tame. Aaron Hernandez had six touchdowns as a rookie. Mark Andrews, Chris Cooley, Jimmy Graham, George Kittle and Jordan Reed showed future potential. I suppose we also have to mention Captain Asterisk, Marques Colston. The Saints took him in the seventh round of the 2006 draft, the 252nd pick overall. His 70-1,038-8 season was a monster, and it was especially fun in Yahoo formats where he was tight end eligible. If you rostered Colston as a wideout, you enjoyed the WR14 season. If you could slide Colston to tight end, you had the top-scoring player at the position. Not bad for someone who was largely undrafted in fantasy leagues. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] I'm probably going to fade Loveland and Warren this season. Maybe this means I didn't learn my lesson from LaPorta and Bowers, but I tend to take these things on a case-by-case basis. I also have to consider that while LaPorta and Bowers happened, the majority of tight end research would point you away from rookies. Loveland does have a similar drop-off point to LaPorta. Ben Johnson is calling the plays, and Loveland walks into a pass-catcher room that has lots of talent. But Caleb Williams is still an unknown; he's certainly not as safe as Jared Goff — and the Bears play outside, compared to the indoor comforts of Detroit. Chicago also has a solid holdover tight end in Cole Kmet — while the Bears wouldn't draft Loveland so early if they didn't have big plans for him, there's a lot of crowding on this offense. Loveland's early global ADP has him around the TE18, which is modest. Yahoo consensus rankings have him slightly higher, TE15, but he's not one of my targets — not for 2025 anyway. If you're pining for Warren, you likely use Bowers as your NFL comp. After all, Bowers stepped into a dysfunctional Las Vegas offense and produced in spite of spotty QB play around him. Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connell, it didn't matter. So if Bowers could overcome that setup, maybe Warren can make it work with scattershot Anthony Richardson and erratic Daniel Jones. But the depth of the Indianapolis WR room could get in Warren's way. Bowers merely had to share with Jakobi Meyers after an early-season trade of Davante Adams. The Colts have Michael Pittman Jr., Josh Downs, Alec Pierce and Adonai Mitchell competing for downfield work. [2025 Fantasy Draft Rankings: QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/ST | Kickers] Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen is probably coaching for his job. He has every incentive to onboard Warren quickly and use him creatively — something the Nittany Lions were able to do. Your final Warren conclusion might rest with how redeemable you view Richardson or Jones. If they can't play to a capable level, every pass-catcher in Naptown is running uphill. Warren has been coveted in the early draft markets, the TE11 — he's the TE20 in Yahoo consensus ranks. That makes it easier for me to fade him. I'm intrigued by Tucker Kraft a round later or Pat Freiermuth about three rounds later.
