Lions Free Agency 2026 Medical Review: Greg Dortch & Damone Clark
Intestinal surgery and spinal fusion did not slow down these two players
An uncommon major surgery might stop some other players, but not these two. Greg Dortch has overcome intestinal surgery, and Damone Clark has overcome cervical spinal fusion. These two Lions’ free agent signings can be proud of their reliability since their surgeries.
For the full Detroit Lions free agency medical analysis page, click here.
(Ages in parentheses are entering 2026 season)
Greg Dortch, WR (28)
Contract: 1 year, $1.075M guaranteed, up to $1.4M
Concern level 2/10
2025: 12/17 games. November 30, 2025 chest injury, placed on IR which ended his season.
2024: 17/17 games
2023: 16/17 games
2022: 16/17 games
2021: 5 games
2020: 2 games
The recent chest injury designation could mean a lot of things - from a pec strain (common) to SC joint sprain (uncommon) to lung pneumothorax (see Cade Cunningham, uncommon). I haven’t found a definitive diagnosis for Dortch yet. Most non-surgical “chest” injuries should be healed up by now, which seems to be the case here.
What’s really remarkable is the intestinal injury he suffered in college. Who knew pylons could cause such damage?
Dortch had what is medically known as an intestinal tract perforation. He described symptoms of feeling “hollow”. When an intestinal perf happens, there can be a leak of air from the intestines into the abdominal cavity. Dortch’s “hollow” feeling may have been due to his abdomen filling up with air like a balloon.
An intestinal perforation is a serious issue that can become life-threatening due to the risk of infection. Dortch and the medical staff did the right thing by seeking an emergency room evaluation immediately after the game.
Urgent surgery was performed to repair the intestinal perforation, and Dortch has been fine since. There are minimal concerns going forward.
Damone Clark, LB (26)
Contract: 1 year, $ pending
Concern level 4/10
2025: 16 games across 2 teams.
2024: 14/17 games. Sore knee may have limited him during season.
2023: 18/18 games
2022: 12 games. Returned to play on October 30, 2022, post spine surgery
NFL Combine: March 24, 2022 spinal fusion surgery after herniated disc found at combine.
Clark was able to return from cervical spine fusion in just seven months. There is a fairly high success rate with fusions of the cervical spine. Other examples include Saivion Smith, Laiatu Latu, Peyton Manning, and Leighton Vander Esch - who was Clarks’ teammate with the Cowboys.
Vander Esch retired after six NFL seasons due to his neck issues. As seen with Vander Esch, there is a durability and recurrence concern over time. Clark will be entering his 5th NFL season. On just a 1-year deal, the risk to the Lions is low.
The cervical spine is high up on the spine. The lower the fusion level down the spine, the lower the return-to-play rate. For example, Levi Onwuzurike had an L5-S1 fusion and might have been only the 2nd player to return to the NFL after that level of fusion.
Clark won’t be the only Lion who had surgery for a herniated disc, as Sam LaPorta had his surgery in November 2025. It’s unknown exactly what kind of spinal surgery LaPorta underwent.
For more on Sam LaPorta’s herniated disc surgery and outlook…