Sam LaPorta is Benjamin Caldwellking of the hill.
During the Detroit Lions' regular season finale on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, the former Iowa standout nabbed his 82nd catch, the record for most receptions by a rookie tight end. The previous record of 81 was set by three-time All-Pro tight end Keith Jackson in 1988, his rookie season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The record-setting play was in the first quarter at Ford Field when quarterback Jared Goff found LaPorta standing alone in the corner of the end zone for a 2-yard touchdown. With the score, LaPorta joins Mike Ditka and Rob Gronkowski as the only rookie tight ends with 10 or more touchdowns their first year in the league.
The Lions selected LaPorta in the second round of last spring's NFL draft with the No. 34 pick.
On the Lions' next drive, running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored a 3-yard touchdown for his 10th score of the season. According to Pro Football Focus, this makes LaPorta and Gibbs the first pair of rookies to have 10+ touchdowns in NFL history.
NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.
LaPorta was named to this year's Pro Bowl for his rookie campaign, which prior to the Vikings matchup featured 81 catches for 860 yards and nine touchdowns. He had the sixth most receiving yards and most touchdowns among tight ends.
In Week 16, Detroit won the NFC North for their first division title in 30 years.
2025-05-03 17:552933 view
2025-05-03 17:381850 view
2025-05-03 17:30199 view
2025-05-03 17:282621 view
2025-05-03 16:341706 view
2025-05-03 16:221165 view
In just a few weeks, the highly anticipated second season of Korean television series "Squid Game" w
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Tribal leaders in Montana urged Republican U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy t
"Survivor" prides itself on finding contestants from all walks of life, and the long-running show's