Updated August 15, 2026
Sam LaPorta (born January 12, 2001) is the tight end for the Detroit Lions, wearing No. 87. He played college football at Iowa. The Detroit Lions selected him No. 34 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. He has been with the Detroit Lions since 2023. Roster membership as of August 14, 2026.
Player information
- Position: tight end (TE)
- Number: 87
- Born: January 12, 2001
- Height: 6 ft 3 in
- Weight: 249 lb
- College: Iowa
- NFL draft: 2023, No. 34 overall (Detroit Lions)
- Roster as of: August 14, 2026
Professional career
Detroit Lions (2023–2025)
Sam LaPorta played 17 regular season games for the Detroit Lions in 2023, catching 86 passes for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns on 120 targets.
Sam LaPorta played 16 regular season games for the Detroit Lions in 2024, catching 60 passes for 726 yards and 7 touchdowns on 83 targets.
Sam LaPorta played 9 regular season games for the Detroit Lions in 2025, catching 40 passes for 489 yards and 3 touchdowns on 49 targets.
Postseason
Sam LaPorta played 3 postseason games for the Detroit Lions in 2023, catching 21 passes for 176 yards and 1 touchdowns on 27 targets.
Sam LaPorta played 1 postseason games for the Detroit Lions in 2024, catching 6 passes for 51 yards and 1 touchdowns on 7 targets.
NFL statistics
Regular season
| Year | Team | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Detroit Lions | 17 | 120 | 86 | 889 | 10 |
| 2024 | Detroit Lions | 16 | 83 | 60 | 726 | 7 |
| 2025 | Detroit Lions | 9 | 49 | 40 | 489 | 3 |
| Career | 42 | 252 | 186 | 2,104 | 20 |
Postseason
| Year | Team | G | Tgt | Rec | Yds | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Detroit Lions | 3 | 27 | 21 | 176 | 1 |
| 2024 | Detroit Lions | 1 | 7 | 6 | 51 | 1 |
| Career | 4 | 34 | 27 | 227 | 2 |
Contract
DLP IQ lists a 4-year deal signed in 2023 with a total value of $9.47 million, $2.37 million per year, and $7.83 million guaranteed. Those figures are DLP IQ terms, not a live cap number.
Sources
Every counting number on this page is from DLP IQ. Derived rates use official NFL formulas on those counts. High-school, family, and award lists are omitted until DLP IQ has them. This page does not invent yards.
