The Detroit Lions received another wave of unfortunate updates heading into their Week 11 matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles. The team has already ruled out tight end Sam LaPorta and rookie cornerback Terrion Arnold, and now veteran defensive lineman Pat O’Connor has also been sidelined.
On Friday, shortly after the final injury report was released, the Lions announced on X that O’Connor has been moved to injured reserve due to a knee issue.
O’Connor has been a valuable rotational piece this season, appearing in eight games and earning three starts. He recorded 10 total tackles and a pass breakup during that stretch.
Originally selected by Detroit late in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft, O’Connor actually began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spent six years in Tampa Bay, including the 2020 Super Bowl run where he played in all 16 regular-season matchups.
Detroit Shuffles Defensive Line Depth
Although losing O’Connor isn’t as impactful as being without LaPorta or Arnold, he has given Detroit steady depth inside and contributed heavily on special teams since joining the roster in 2024.
Last year, O’Connor suited up for 12 games with the Lions, posting 18 tackles, two tackles for loss, a quarterback hit and a sack.
This season, he logged 106 snaps on defense and 143 on special teams over his first eight appearances. However, his usage recently dipped — he played only three defensive snaps in each of the previous two games and was inactive in Week 10 against Washington.
With O’Connor on IR, Detroit will turn to Alim McNeill, Tyleik Williams, D.J. Reader, and Roy Lopez to handle more work on the interior. O’Connor will be sidelined for a minimum of four games and can return no earlier than Week 15 versus the Los Angeles Rams.
