Earlier this week, Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta, currently fifth among tight ends in receiving yards and touchdowns, made waves on Pardon My Take by expressing frustration over the lack of a contract extension after talks broke down several weeks ago.
“I think the combination of getting your heartstrings twisted as well as the violent sport we play—it sucks,” LaPorta said. “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 fucking 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.”
With the Lions at 3-2 and last in a tough NFC North, the comments came at a bad time and suggested off-field distractions could be affecting results.
The Lions met with the media on Friday for the first time since those comments went viral. LaPorta was reportedly nowhere to be found that morning, and head coach Dan Campbell tried to tell reporters they weren’t a distraction before effectively proving they were.
“I’ve answered this I don’t know how many times,” Campbell said while growing agitated at another question. “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.”
LaPorta finally met with the media himself on Friday afternoon and attempted to clarify the situation (full transcript via Pride of Detroit).
“I feel bad if there was any sort of distraction to the team or my teammates or the coaches,” said LaPorta. “But I think there was maybe a bit of a misconception with—I guess—my intentions are: I want to play for this team. I give everything that 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.”
When asked if he regretted making the comments during the season, the tight end said he didn’t, though he also didn’t expect people to understand where he’s coming from.
“I don’t know if I regret it. I just don’t expect other people to understand,” he said. “We’re very blessed. I’m getting paid millions of dollars this year. So you have to take it with a grain of salt. It’s coming from a stance of I want security for me and my family, but also when I reflect on other people in the league, I feel like I’m doing just as good of a job, if not better. And I want to be paid like those guys.”
LaPorta then blamed the media for taking his comments and turning them into something bigger than they are.
“I think the media will always take small stories and run with it and turn them into big ones,” LaPorta said. “And when they splice together comments, anything can seem more harsh or bigger than the reality really is. I’m one person in a ginormous cog, ginormous machine in this building, and I want to continue to do my part, and hopefully something happens soon.”
There are two sides to the comments and the reaction to them. On one side, players deserve to be compensated fairly and, if they don’t feel like that’s happening, they’re well within their rights to make it known. On the other side, the Lions aren’t living up to the perception the franchise set with an NFC Championship Game appearance two seasons ago, and if they can’t turn things around, fans could hold LaPorta’s comments against him, especially if his production falls off.
As always, winning cures all, and if LaPorta keeps proving his worth, he’s gonna get paid, either by the Lions or someone else.
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