Sam LaPorta Addresses Lions Distraction: I Want Security

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta spoke to local reporters briefly at the teams Allen Park Performance Center, after his recent comments during a podcast interview caused quite the stir among the fanbase.

"I feel bad if there was any sort of distraction to the team or teammates or to the coaches," said LaPorta. "I think there may have been a little bit of a misconception with, I guess, like my intentions are, 'I want to play for this team. I give everything I have. My teammates do as well. They all love me, respect me and support me and they want to see me be happy and compensated.

LaPorta acknowledged he allowed the business side of the game to make him emotional, given he wants to be paid similar to other tight ends who are performing at a high level and to provide additional security for his growing family.

In the coming months, LaPorta and his wide are expecting their first child.

"I guess I would not expect anyone else to really care even care, but emotionally for me and my family, it is an emotional thing for us," said LaPorta. "We want to have stability. We are excited in the coming months, we're going to have our first kid, me and my wife. We are going to welcome our baby girl into the world in Metro Detroit. We want to be here with the Lions.

"I'm getting emotional about it. In the grand scheme of things, it is really a business. You have to respect what the front office is doing," LaPorta commented further. "They are the ones calling the shots. They are the ones that brought me in. It's my first team. They have been nothing but supportive of me and my career."

Dan Campbell indicated the 25-year-old has remained locked in, despite the issues surrounding his contract.

“We’re two days from Green Bay, you know, but that’s what it is -- it’s on the outside world as a distraction. In this building, it’s not,” Campbell explained. “This kid is locked in. He’s been locked in all year. He was locked in when he came in on Tuesday. He was locked in Wednesday, Thursday. He’s locked in today.”

Despite playing on the last year of his deal, LaPorta has performed consistently and has been a significant factor in the Lions offense playing at an elite level.

“We picked the guys we picked for a reason. We know their character and we know what they’re about deep down. Listen, Sam’s a stud. He’s going to help us win games. He’s an unselfish teammate. He’s an unselfish player," said Campbell. "You can never take anything personal when you start talking about business. That’s why business and football, they don’t belong with each other. But it’s the world we’re in. It makes the world go round for all for all of us.”