Former Iowa Hawkeyes Star Suffers Scary Injury

Former Iowa Hawkeyes tight end and current Detroit Lions star Sam LaPorta suffered a scary-looking injury against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3 of the NFL season.

Nov 19, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes tight end Sam LaPorta (84) runs with the ball against the Minnesota Golden Gophers during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

Former Iowa Hawkeyes tight end and currently Detroit Lions star Sam LaPorta suffered a scary-looking injury during his team's win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

LaPorta's right ankle was rolled up on by a Cardinals defender as he was running down the field, resulting in an uncomfortable twist.

The 23-year-old was carted off the field after the injury, but actually returned to action later on in the game.

LaPorta was very limited, however, and was seen hobbling around after returning.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell called it a sprained ankle after the game, but he did not provide any more details on the severity of the injury.

Based on the fact that Detroit allowed LaPorta to get back onto the field against Arizona, the star pass-catcher likely avoided extensive damage.

However, a sprain is still a sprain, and LaPorta's status for the Lions' Week 4 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks is certainly in question.

The fact that the Lions actually permitted LaPorta to return is interesting, especially considering that he was clearly compromised. You would think Detroit would have done everything possible to avoid further injury, especially early on in the season.

LaPorta logged just two catches for 36 yards versus the Cardinals and has gotten off to a rather slow start in 2024 overall, totaling eight receptions for 94 yards in three games.

The 23-year-old was selected by the Lions in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft and made the Pro Bowl during his rookie campaign after snaring 86 balls for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.