Sam LaPorta is finally back where he wanted to be.
The Detroit Lions tight end participated without limitations during Wednesday’s opening training camp practice, marking his first full session since suffering a herniated disc in his back last November and undergoing season-ending surgery.
For LaPorta, the physical recovery was only part of the battle.
The uncertainty was worse.
LaPorta Feared He Might Never Play Again
LaPorta admitted the nerve damage connected to the injury created some frightening possibilities during his rehabilitation.
“If you’ve ever had a nervous system injury, (it’s difficult). Just waiting for the nerve strength to come back, being told it might not come back, all those feelings of maybe not being able to play again. It sucks sitting on the couch,” LaPorta said via the Detroit News.
That is a sobering admission from a player who had quickly established himself as one of the NFL’s premier young tight ends.
LaPorta was not simply waiting for pain to disappear or for a bone to heal. He was waiting to see whether his body would regain the strength necessary to play football again.
That kind of uncertainty can wear on anyone.
“My wife got the short end of the stick with that. Every night I’d be telling her, ‘Man, I really hope God allows me to get my nerve strength back and (I) get to play football again.’ She’s like, ‘You’re fine. The doctor says you’re going to be fine. The training staff says you’re going to be great, you’re going to come back and be great.’”
LaPorta’s Strength Returned in Stages
The recovery was not immediate.
LaPorta explained that the nerve function gradually returned through different parts of his lower body.
“The nerve strength came back in phases,” LaPorta explained. “It started with the glute, then worked down the hamstring, then the calf. Honestly, probably just two or three months ago the full strength came back and you could see the muscle atrophy start to diminish and grow that strength back.”
That timeline shows why Detroit remained patient throughout the offseason.
LaPorta was able to participate in limited fashion during organized team activities and minicamp, but the Lions did not clear him for a full workload until training camp.
There was no reason to rush.
The goal was not getting him onto the field in May. It was getting him healthy enough to stay there once the real work began.
LaPorta Ready for Contact Again
LaPorta has already spent several months running and testing his movement.
Now comes the next step.
“I’ve had three or four good months under my belt of running, cutting, sprinting, (and) now I’m hitting. Obviously, (we’re) going to be in pads soon, so I’m excited.”
That final sentence tells the story.
After months of wondering whether the nerve strength would return, LaPorta is no longer talking only about rehabilitation. He is talking about football.
Running routes. Absorbing contact. Preparing for padded practices.
Those ordinary training camp moments mean much more after what he experienced.
Bottom Line
Sam LaPorta’s return to full participation is one of the best developments of Lions training camp.
His injury created legitimate fear that he might not regain enough nerve strength to continue playing. The recovery came slowly, moving from his glute to his hamstring and finally into his calf.
Now the strength is back.
LaPorta still has to prove he can handle the punishment of a full NFL season, but Wednesday represented a major milestone.
For the first time in months, he was not watching from the side.
He was playing football again.
