Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) is chased by Minnesota Vikings safety Camryn Bynum during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) (Paul Sancya, Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
DETROIT – Detroit Lions star rookie tight end Sam LaPorta left the game on a cart Sunday after an apparent knee injury.
The replay showed LaPorta’s knee taking a hit on a tackle late in the first half. It didn’t look great. He was ruled out for the remainder of the Vikings game.
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LaPorta broke the NFL record for catches by a rookie tight end earlier in the game with a touchdown grab in the first quarter.
LaPorta has been a key weapon for the Lions offense all season, and not having him available for the first round of the playoffs would be a huge hit.
We probably won’t know the full extent of the injury until Monday at the earliest.
The Lions technically didn’t need to win the game vs. the Vikings on Sunday, but Lions coach Dan Campbell elected to try and win for a long-shot chance at the No. 2 seed.
The Lions will host a playoff game at Ford Field next weekend.
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Ken Haddad has been with Local 4/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He helps lead news coverage and content across broadcast and digital platforms. He's from the Metro Detroit area, and loves covering important news (and sports) in his hometown.