By Moses Joshua 
Why Detroit is choosing patience over urgency with its star tight end
As the Detroit Lions close the book on a season that never quite lived up to expectations, Dan Campbell is already thinking about something far bigger than Sunday’s final whistle: the health of Sam LaPorta.
The second-year tight end was supposed to be a pillar of Detroit’s offense for years to come. Instead, back and nerve issues forced the Lions into an unfamiliar balancing act — protecting a cornerstone player while trying to keep an offense afloat that had suddenly lost one of its most versatile weapons.
Campbell’s latest update revealed both optimism and restraint, a blend that feels like the new reality around LaPorta.
A Recovery That Can’t Be Rushed
Campbell didn’t sugarcoat the situation when asked about LaPorta’s status.
“He’s getting better,” the Lions coach said. “It wouldn’t have been one of those situations where, if we made the playoffs, he’d have had a chance to play — no. But I feel like next year isn’t off the table early in the year. You’d like to believe we’d get him for training camp — but you’re talking about a back. He’s improving, but he’s not completely healed.”
Those words are revealing. This wasn’t a minor tweak that a postseason push could have overridden. Detroit made the call that LaPorta’s future mattered more than any short-term gain.
And when injuries involve the spine, Campbell knows there are no shortcuts.
“Anytime you’re talking about a neck or a back — those things can be concerning, because you don’t know exactly what’s going to come out of it,” he said. “How do they recover? That’s always kind of going to be back there until he’s either fully healed or he’s not quite there.”
Signs of Progress — With a Catch
Still, there are reasons the Lions are quietly encouraged.
“I’d like to believe he’ll have a lot of time to heal,” Campbell added. “He’s rehabbing every day. He feels better after the surgery than he did before — that’s a positive. It took a lot of stress off that nerve. We’ll see.”
It’s the kind of cautious optimism that defines Detroit’s approach. LaPorta isn’t being penciled into any calendar date. Instead, his progress will dictate everything — not the standings, not the schedule, not the pressure of expectations.
How Tight End Injuries Changed Detroit’s Offense
The ripple effects of LaPorta’s absence went far beyond one name on the inactive list.
“Tight ends are a big part of what we do, certainly in the run game, but the pass game as well,” Campbell explained. “So when you lose your top two guys, it becomes harder for sure. It’s affected us.”
With Brock Wright also dealing with injuries, Detroit leaned heavily on veteran stopgaps, trying to keep its identity intact without the players it was built around.
“It’s good to get Zylstra back,” Campbell said. “He’s a pro, he’s a vet, he can do a lot of jobs. And then Ferg — he’s got some versatility too. It’s been good to have those two guys.”
The effort was there. The production, at times, wasn’t. And that gap only underscored how essential LaPorta has become to the Lions’ vision.
A Long View Toward 2026
Detroit could have gambled. They didn’t.
Instead, they chose time, patience, and a long-term lens that stretches well beyond one frustrating season. LaPorta’s rehab will be deliberate. His return will be earned, not forced.
For a franchise that’s spent years rebuilding the right way, this moment feels like a test of discipline.
And if Dan Campbell has his way, the payoff won’t come in a rushed cameo — it will come in a fully healed Sam LaPorta, ready to reclaim his role as one of the offense’s most dangerous pieces.