2023 season The
Detroit Lions selected LaPorta with the 34th overall pick in the second round of the
2023 NFL draft. On September 24, 2023, LaPorta became the first tight end to tally five receptions in each of his first three games as well as having the most receptions by a tight end in that stretch with 18. He also caught his first career touchdown pass on a 45-yard catch-and-run from
Jared Goff. The Lions would end up beating the
Atlanta Falcons, 20–6. With his four receptions in Week 4 against the
Green Bay Packers, LaPorta broke the record for receptions by a tight end in their first four games with 22. A week later in Week 5 against the
Carolina Panthers, LaPorta caught a pair of touchdowns for the first multi-touchdown game of his career while also having three receptions for 47 yards. The Lions would win, 42–24. In Week 8, LaPorta broke the Lions' franchise record for receptions by a rookie tight end with 43, breaking
Charlie Sanders' record of 40 that he set in . During the game, he caught eight passes for 57 yards and a touchdown in the 26–14 win over the
Las Vegas Raiders. In the Lions' 22–29 loss to the Packers on
Thanksgiving, LaPorta broke Sanders' franchise record of 533 yards by a rookie tight end when he had five catches for 47 yards and a touchdown. In Week 13, LaPorta broke the franchise record for receiving yards by a rookie tight end in a single game with 140 yards and a touchdown on nine receptions. The Lions would beat the
New Orleans Saints, 33–28. He was named
Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance. In the Lions' Week 15 win over the
Denver Broncos, LaPorta became the first rookie tight end since
Jeremy Shockey in 2002 to record 70 receptions in a season while also becoming the first rookie tight end since
Joseph Fauria in 2013 to record three receiving touchdowns in a single game. He was recognized again as the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for the second time in three weeks. In Week 18 against the
Minnesota Vikings, LaPorta broke the single-season rookie tight end record for receptions with 82. It also came on his 10th touchdown of the season. LaPorta also left the game early after hyperextending his knee. After finishing the season with 86 receptions, 889 yards, and a tight end leading 10 touchdowns, LaPorta was named to the
2024 Pro Bowl Games. He was also selected as a Second-team
All-Pro by the
Associated Press. LaPorta was also named a finalist for the
Pepsi Zero Sugar NFL Rookie of the Year Award. LaPorta set many Lions records during his rookie season. He set new records for receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns by a tight end overall. All of which were also the Lions' rookie tight end records. His 10 receiving touchdowns were also the record for Lions rookies overall. He was an
Offensive Rookie of the Year finalist. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. In his first postseason game, LaPorta scored a receiving touchdown in the
Wild Card Round win over the Rams. He was ranked 80th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2024.
2024 season In the 2024 season, LaPorta finished with 60 receptions for 726 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored a receiving touchdown in the Lions'
Divisional Round loss to the
Washington Commanders. While his production dropped from his first season, LaPorta nonetheless joined
Mike Ditka,
Rob Gronkowski, and
Jimmy Graham as only the fourth tight end in NFL history to log 1,500 receiving yards and 15 receiving touchdowns in his first two seasons. He was ranked 94th by his fellow players on the
NFL Top 100 Players of 2025.
2025 season LaPorta began the 2025 season as Detroit's starting tight end, and recorded 489 yards and three touchdowns over the team's first nine games. After suffering a back injury in Week 10 against the
Washington Commanders, LaPorta was placed on
injured reserve on November 15, 2025. On November 21, it was announced that LaPorta was unlikely to return during the season after undergoing back surgery. He finished 40 receptions for 489 yards and three touchdowns. ==Career statistics==