Sam LaPorta

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

• AP Second-Team All Pro: 2023
• Pro Bowl: 2023
• Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week: 2023 (Week 13, Week 15)
• Through the first two seasons of a tight end's career in NFL history, he ranks first in receptions (146), tied-for-second in receiving touchdowns (17) and is fifth in receiving yards (1,615).
• Is the only tight end in NFL history to log at least 600 receiving touchdowns and six receiving touchdowns in each of a player's first two-career seasons.
• Joins Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham as the only tight ends in NFL history to record at least 125 receptions and 15 touchdowns through two-career seasons.
• Joins Brandon Pettigrew (2010-11) as the only tight ends in franchise history to produce multiple seasons with at least 700 receiving yards.
• Among all NFL tight ends in 2024, he ranked third in first down receiving percentage (65.0%), tied-for-third in receptions of 25-plus yards (six), tied-for-fourth in receiving touchdowns (seven) and fifth in receiving average (12.1).
• Set the NFL rookie tight end record for receptions (86) while also tying for the second-most touchdown receptions (10) and fourth-most receiving yards (889) by a rookie tight end in NFL history. He also produced 10 individual games with five-or-more receptions in 2023, the most by a rookie tight end in NFL history.
• Became the second rookie in NFL history to produce a rookie season with at least 85 receptions, 850 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions, joining WR Odell Beckham Jr. in 2014.
• As a rookie in 2023, he also set the franchise tight end records for receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns in a season, regardless of experience.
• Among all rookies in franchise history, regardless of position, he ranks first in receiving touchdowns, second in receptions and second in receiving yards.
• Became the first Lions tight end to lead all NFL tight ends in receiving touchdowns in a single season in 2023.
• Tied for the NFL lead by producing two games with multiple touchdown receptions in 2023. He became the eighth rookie tight end in NFL history to log two multi-touchdown games, the fifth Lions tight end to do so (regardless of experience) and the third Lions rookie to do so (regardless of position).
• Produced 140 receiving yards against the Saints (12/3/2023), the most in a game by a rookie tight end in team history.
• Logged 21 receptions in the 2023 postseason, the most by a rookie tight end in NFL history. The total ranks fourth in NFL history by a rookie, regardless of position, and tied-for-sixth among tight ends, regardless of experience.

COLLEGE:

• Played four seasons (2019-22) at Iowa, totaling 153 receptions for 1,786 yards (11.7 avg.) and five touchdowns. Among all-time Iowa tight ends, he is first in career receptions and second in receiving yards.
  • Led Big Ten tight ends in yards (670), yards after catch (299), yards after contact (206), receptions (53) and catches of 15-plus yards (18).
  • Maintained a streak of 24 consecutive games with at least one reception from 2019 through the first 10 games of the 2021 season.
• 2022: Appeared and started in 12 games, where he totaled 58 receptions for 657 yards (11.3 avg.) and one touchdown.
  • Big Ten Tight End of the Year
  • First Team All-Big Ten
• 2021: Appeared in 14 games and started in 13 of them, where he recorded 53 receptions for 670 yards (12.6 avg.) and three touchdowns.
• 2020: Appeared in all eight games and started in five of them, where he totaled 27 receptions for 271 yards (10.0 avg.) and two touchdowns.
  • Led the team in receptions and ranked second in receiving yards.
• 2019: Appeared in 12 games and started in two, where he had 15 receptions for 188 yards (12.5 avg.)

PERSONAL:

• Majored in business at Iowa.
• Earned Academic All-State recognition three years.
• Attended Highland (Ill.) High School.
• Ranked second in Illinois high school history in receiving touchdowns (50) and third in receiving yards (3,793).
• Earned Dean's List recognition in Spring 2020 and Fall 2022.