‘The Pat McAfee Show’ reacts to Lions’ concerning Sam LaPorta injury update

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta is dealing with a hip injury during training camp. Reports have claimed that his status is currently up in the air, as there is no set timetable for his return with Week 1 quickly approaching. On Thursday, everyone on “The Pat McAfee Show” shared their reaction to the troubling news.

The “Pat McAfee Show” discussed last season’s back injury that limited the 25-year-old tight end to just nine games. They mentioned how the Lions’ offense struggled whenever LaPorta was not on the field, which certainly sparks concerns for Detroit if he’s not healthy by Week 1 of the new campaign.

“I had seen that he was out of practice and I had no idea why,” said the ‘Pat McAfee Show.’ “Obviously, last season he was out for the majority of the season with that back injury that he ended up having surgery on. When he had that surgery and was out for the year, the Lions had a winning record and were doing great.

“When he left, there was a humongous drop-off in the offensive production… This is a big-time bummer. This is a killer, especially with the new offensive coordinator, Drew Petzing, who is a big tight end guy, allegedly. So, this is killer.”

Sam LaPorta’s status for the Detroit Lions regular-season opener is unclear..

He suffered a hip injury and has missed multiple practices this week #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/YXRYxFZYEo

— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) August 20, 2026

Injuries appear to be disrupting what was a hot start to his NFL career. His numbers drastically fell after missing eight games in the 2025-26 season. Sam LaPorta finished the year with 40 receptions, 489 yards, and three touchdowns, all of which are career lows.

If LaPorta is forced to miss time with the hip injury, then either Brock Wright or Tyler Conklin would have to step in as the starting tight end. The backup spot is not yet decided in Detroit, so the club appears to have a possition battle for the remainder of training camp. Jackson Meeks, Thomas Gordan, and Zach Horton are also fighting for a spot on the roster as tight ends.

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