Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta ruffled some feathers across the Lions fan base when he said that he’d be fine playing for a new team next season after not agreeing to an extension with the franchise.
“It’s disappointing that you go out there every week and you bear the risk of getting hurt. Like last year, whatever it was, Week 9, Week 10, I break my f*cking back for this team. And then I’m going out there this year, and I’m ballin’, and maybe they’re just not showing the love,” LaPorta said during an appearance on Pardon My Take.
“So I’m going to continue to do my thing and ball out, and in three months if I don’t get to wear the Honolulu Blue and play for the Lions anymore, it’s going to be all good. I’ll go get paid somewhere else. So, whatever.”
In LaPorta’s defense, he’s been extremely productive for Detroit when healthy, catching 146 passes for 1,615 yards and 17 touchdowns. Although a back injury limited LaPorta to just three touchdowns last season, he’s bounced back in a big way, and through just five games, he has already matched that number this year, along with 27 catches for 316 yards.
On Friday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell was asked about LaPorta’s comments during his press conference and became visibly agitated.
“It’s all good, man. And you can never take anything personal when you start talking about business. That’s why business and football don’t— they don’t belong with each other. But it’s the world we’re in, and it makes the world go round for all of us.”
Woah
Dan Campbell walks off AGITATED about Sam LaPorta questions https://t.co/YyBMpVEGdO— DetroitSportsPodcast (@DetroitPodcast) October 23, 2026
Campbell was then asked if LaPorta regretted his comments.
“I’m not answering anything,” the coach responded. “I mean, I’ve answered this I don’t know how many times. So I said I didn’t want it to be a distraction and now it’s becoming one because you keep asking these things. That’s why.”
Campbell then proceeded to walk out. The Lions might want to pay LaPorta, if only so the team can return its focus to the things that matter.
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