Rookie Sam LaPorta Breaks 59-Year-Old Lions’ Record to Score Most TDs as a Tight End

Games win you titles, and touchdowns win you games. It’s the eternal rule of Gridiron. And when a player breaks a TD record, it’s a thing to celebrate, indeed. Such is the case for the Lions‘ rookie Sam LaPorta, who did something special during the week 18 Lions Vikings game.

The TE just broke a franchise record that stood for 59 long years. And obviously, it has to do with touchdowns. Given his record came in such a season when the Lions won their maiden NFC North title, the rookie’s name gets written in the NFL history.

LaPorta rewrites history

The Lions drafted the rookie in the second round of the 2023 NFL draft, as a 34th overall pick. But LaPorta has already done more than what the Lions paid for. He has broken the Lions record for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end, which has stood for 59 seasons. The tight end broke with a 1st quarter touchdown during the Vikings game. He surpasses the existing record by 1 touchdown, from the previous 8.

Late Lions’ TE, Jim Gibbons, set the long-standing record way back in 1964 when the NFL had only started to gain nationwide popularity through television exposure. A lot of franchises were still in their early days and a record-breaking feat wasn’t really a big thing. Newer training methods created more capable players, able to reach newer physical limits every new season.

Read More: Lions’ Sam LaPorta Turns Heads After Matching Rob Gronkowski’s Decade-Old Record While Dazzling Under Detroit Lights

But Gibbons’ record somehow stood the test of time and modern-day super athletes of the Gridiron. That was until LaPorta joined the league. Additionally, the record-breaking TE has already found his name in the history book for another major record, on the very same day.

Sam LaPorta: An underhyped investment for the Lions

With the same 2-yard TD catch in the first quarter, Sam LaPorta broke another long-standing record. This time, a 35-year-old rookie one. Eagles‘ rookie TE, Keith Jackson, received a total of 81 catches during the 1988 season. The Lions’ rookie TE surpassed it with one more reception: 82.

It couldn’t have been a better time for the rookie to collect the numbers. The Lions won the NFC North division for the first time since 1993, breaking a three-decade lock. It is also their first time since the creation of the division from the previous NFC Central. And LaPorta’s performances have been one of the best highlights of their season so far.

There’s still a long way to go for the TE. With the entire postseason ahead of him, LaPorta can extend both of his records to new heights. But will the reported knee injury during the Vikings game affect his record-breaking season unexpectedly? We hope not!

Watch This Story: NFL Injury Report: Lions; Record Breaker Sam LaPorta Carted Off With Reported Knee Injury