Detroit Lions fans and fantasy football managers couldn't help but notice that tight end Sam LaPorta endured somewhat of an up-and-down 2024 season after he performed like an emerging superstar during his rookie campaign.
While speaking with reporters on Thursday, LaPorta clarified that he's fine with the numbers he produced this past season.
"There were a lot of weapons last year, so I kept hearing comments this offseason, 'Why didn’t you get the ball as much?' It’s like, 'Dude, we scored the most points of any team in the NFL in the last five years. Everybody deserves the ball,'" LaPorta said, The Athletic's Colton Pouncy shared.
The Lions made LaPorta the 34th overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, and he earned a Pro Bowl nod as a rookie. Per ESPN stats, he finished that regular season tied for fourth in the league with 10 touchdown catches. Over 17 games, he tallied 86 receptions, 120 targets and 889 receiving yards.
To compare, LaPorta recorded 60 receptions, 83 targets, 726 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches over 16 contests last season. He missed a single game in 2024 due to a left shoulder injury.
As LaPorta alluded to, the 2024 Lions led the NFL with an average of 33.2 points scored per game. Detroit entered the playoffs with a record of 15-2, but an injury crisis ultimately prevented the Lions from advancing past the divisional round of the postseason tournament.
LaPorta understandably attracted more attention from opposing defenses during his second pro season, but he also improved as a run-blocker. On Thursday, he suggested that becoming a better all-around player would benefit quarterback Jared Goff during the upcoming season.
"Looking ahead this year, I think just continuing to polish things off in the run game, the pass game," LaPorta added about what he's working on this spring. "Start to see the game from the quarterback’s perspective, what Jared needs exactly, and maybe not just knowing what I’m doing on the field, but what other people are doing as well. Just seeing the big picture."
As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Lions fifth among the betting favorites at +1000 odds to win Super Bowl LX in February 2026. LaPorta is a big reason why many expect Detroit to be a championship contender again during the 2025 season.
