Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-4, 240 lbs |
| Birthplace: Spicer, MN |
| Age: 29 |
| School: Minnesota State |
| Experience: 5 |
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1:40Breaking Down 49ers' Dominant Week 1 Win Over Rams
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4:31Sam Darnold Expected to Miss Week 2 With Hip Injury
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1:37Patriots Offense: Running Game Needs To Improve
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1:40How Concerned Should Patriots Be With AJ Brown Injury?
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0:59Drake Maye Struggles with 3 INTs in Super Bowl Rematch
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0:24Just In: A.J. Brown Believed to Have High Ankle Sprain
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1:58Patriots WR A.J. Brown Suffers Ankle Injury
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1:25Seahawks QB Sam Darnold to Undergo Hip MRI
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1:36Drew Lock Answers Call for Seahawks After Darnold Injury
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1:13Drake Maye Implodes in 2nd Straight Game vs. Seattle
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1:57Patriots Lose Season Opener Despite Sam Darnold Injury
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1:56Drew Lock Leads Seahawks
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2:04Week 1 Highlights: Patriots at Seahawks
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1:51Patriots Offense Lacks Chemistry In Sloppy Season Opener
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1:35NFL Week 1 Game Ball: Seahawks Secondary & Drew Lock
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1:37Sam Darnold Exits Game With Hip Injury
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1:34
Drake Maye and Patriots Fall Short in Season Opener
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1:07Patriots vs. Seahawks: First TD Scorer Prediction
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1:20Top Prop Bet for Patriots-Seahawks
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11:43Danny Kanell's NFL Playoff Predictions
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Top Shane Zylstra News
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Shane Zylstra: Joins New England's practice squad
The Patriots signed Zylstra to the practice squad Wednesday.
The Bills cut Zylstra last Saturday. The tight end now joins up with the team's main divisional rival in the race for the AFC East title. The 29-year-old has played in 35 career regular-season games with the Lions, catching 18 balls for 136 yards and four touchdowns.
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Shane Zylstra: Dropped by Buffalo
The Bills cut Zylstra on Saturday.
Zylstra signed a one-year deal with the Bills in May. The tight end's first stint away from the Lions, where he spent the first four years of his career, will end without a 53-man roster spot. The 29-year-old played in all three preseason games, catching four of his eight targets for 33 yards. Zylstra will now be subject to waivers through Sunday's cutdown day and into Monday. If the tight end remains unclaimed through Monday, he will become a free agent able to sign with any franchise's 53-man roster or practice squad.
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Bills' Shane Zylstra: Headed to Buffalo
The Bills signed Zylstra to a one-year contract Tuesday.
Zylstra is headed to Buffalo after spending his entire four-year career with the Lions. The 29-year-old caught three passes for 20 yards across six games last season and will likely compete for a depth spot on the Bills' roster.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Limited production in 2025
Zylstra caught three of five targets for 20 yards over six games during the 2025 regular season.
Zylstra opened the season as the Lions' No. 3 option at tight end behind Sam LaPorta (back) and Brock Wright (neck), but due to injuries, he became relevant in the final few weeks. The tight end missed nearly three months of action himself from early September to Dec. 14 due to injury, but even when healthy, he went without a target in five of six games this season. Zylstra will now enter the offseason as a free agent, and he'll likely have a limited market for his talents in 2026.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: No production in Week 17
Zylstra did not garner a target in Thursday's 23-10 loss to Minnesota.
Zylstra went without a target for the second time in three games since returning from injured reserve. The tight end maintained a slight lead in offensive workload over Anthony Firkser, logging 42 offensive snaps to Firkser's 35, though the latter did garner a target. Zylstra will look to finish off the regular season on a higher note when Detroit heads to Chicago in Week 18.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Three catches in defeat
Zylstra caught three of five targets for 20 yards in Sunday's 29-24 loss to Pittsburgh.
Zylstra was able to secure his first passes of the year after going catchless in his return to action in Week 15. The tight end saw 20 more snaps on offense (45) than backup Anthony Firkser (25), but Firkser caught all four of his targets for 40 yards. Zylstra and Firkser will likely continue to split the workload at tight end Christmas Day against the Vikings, making both players relatively unappealing from a fantasy perspective.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: No targets in return to action
Zylstra didn't draw a target in Sunday's 41-34 loss to the Rams.
Zylstra made his return to action after missing 11 contests with a knee injury, immediately taking over as the team's primary tight end, logging 35 offensive snaps to backup Anthony Firkser's 22 snaps on offense. Zylstra will have a chance to be more involved moving forward with Sam LaPorta (back) and Brock Wright (neck) on injured reserve, and he'll look to reel in his first pass of the year in Week 16 against Pittsburgh.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Making return Sunday
Zylstra (knee) is active for Sunday's Week 15 contest against the Rams.
Zylstra was hurt in Week 2 against Chicago and subsequently landed on IR. He was activated Saturday and is now officially ready to return to action. With Sam LaPorta (back) and Brock Wright (neck) both on injured reserve, there is room for Zylstra to carve out a tangible role in the Lions' tight-end corps.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Activated from IR
Detroit activated Zylstra (knee) from injured reserve Saturday.
Zylstra has been dealing with a knee injury since Week 2, and he was designated to return to practice Dec. 1. The 29-year-old remained sidelined during last week's win over the Cowboys, but he's trending toward playing ahead of this Sunday's matchup versus the Rams. Zylstra has been a reliable blocking tight end over the past four seasons with Detroit, but with TE1 Sam LaPorta (back) and Brock Wright (neck) both on IR, he could be more involved as a pass catcher alongside Anthony Firkser moving forward. It's still unclear if Zylstra will be active versus the Rams.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Questionable to play Sunday
Zylstra (knee) is questionable for Sunday's matchup against the Rams, Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com reports.
Zylstra logged three limited practices heading into Week 15 against the Rams, a step up from his practice progression in Week 14 when he ended the week as a non-participant. If the 29-year old does return, he would be making his first appearance since Week 2 against the Bears. The fifth-year pro plays a majority of snaps on special teams but could possibly see a larger role on offense with Sam LaPorta (back) on injured reserve.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Returns to limited practice
Zylstra (knee) logged a limited practice Wednesday.
Zylstra is working his way back from a knee injury that has held him out since Week 3. He began last week with a similar limited practice before downgrading to no practice, so his progression this week should give an indication of whether he'll be able to return to the field in Week 15 against the Rams.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Won't play Thursday
Zylstra (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's game versus the Cowboys.
Zylstra has been on injured reserve since getting hurt in Week 2 against the Bears, and he finally returned to practice Monday. The 29-year-old tight end isn't quite ready to return to action, however, and he'll aim to get back in the mix in Week 15 versus the Rams. Last season, Zylstra averaged just 9.0 offensive snaps per game.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Downgrades to DNP on Tuesday
Zylstra (knee) did not participate at practice Tuesday.
It's a somewhat concerning sign for Zylstra, who Detroit just designated for return to practice from its injured reserve list Monday. It's looking increasingly unlikely he'll be able to suit up Thursday versus the Cowboys.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Limited practice Monday
Zylstra (knee) was a limited participant at practice Monday.
Zylstra had his 21-day practice window opened Monday after spending the last two months on injured reserve with what previously was labeled an ankle injury, but the Lions' first Week 14 practice report has him tagged with a knee injury. Irrespective of the issue, the tight end is likely a long shot to play in Thursday night's matchup with the Cowboys, but with Brock Wright (neck) potentially set to miss extended time, Zylstra will provide the team with some much-needed depth once activated from IR.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Practice window opens
Zylstra (ankle) was designated to return from the injured reserve list Monday, Tim Twentyman of the Lions' official site reports.
The Minnesota State product has missed the Lions' last 10 games after sustaining an ankle injury in the Week 2 win over the Bears. Detroit now has 21 days to add Zylstra to its active roster before he reverts to IR. Once fully healthy, Zylstra is expected to play a depth role in the Lions' tight-end corps.
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Lions' Shane Zylstra: Placed on injured reserve
The Lions placed Zylstra (ankle) on injured reserve Tuesday.
Zylstra suffered an ankle injury during the Lions' Week 2 win over the Bears. He is required to miss at least the next four games, which makes Week 7 against the Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 20 the earliest he can return. Sam LaPorta and Brock Wright are the Lions' two lone tight ends on the 53-man roster, but Detroit shored up its depth at the position by signing Ross Dwelley to the practice squad.
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