Lions rookie TE Sam LaPorta continues to set new NFL landmarks

Detroit Lions rookie TE Sam LaPorta continues to make tremendous strides by rewriting NFL history at the tight end department

Throughout training camp, Sam LaPorta made noise as a potentially important cog in the Detroit Lions offense after he almost instantly connected with Jared Goff. Now, through three games in the 2023 season, LaPorta has shown that chemistry as a reliable target for Goff, which was evident in their 20-6 victory over the Atlanta Falcons this week.

LaPorta saw the second most targets today (11), only behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, catching eight of those for 84 yards while catching his first NFL touchdown. Not only has he shown to have reliable mitts, but he has been important in the run game as well, showing he is not afraid to throw his body into blocks, leading to big gains on the ground. He is the do-it-all tight end the Lions needed for their offense and fits in like a glove.

Now, everyone in the Lions world is quite aware of the importance LaPorta has brought to Detroit, but he is showing on a national scale the type of season he is having so far this season. Just last week, he set the NFL record for instant production by a rookie tight end by being the first tight end in NFL history to have 5+ catches in their first two games.

He continued setting records with his stellar performance against the Falcons. I’ll let the good people from the Lions PR show how big he has been for Detroit.

As you can see, the story writes itself. LaPorta is having a historic start not only for the Lions but also for rewriting NFL history in the tight end department. The chemistry is strong and seems in sync with Goff, a proven commodity in the running game, making him an indispensable player for the Lions and another cog in the strong young core the Lions have built this far in Detroit.

Also, here is a fun interaction between LaPorta and Goff concerning his touchdown today.