Sam LaPorta expresses disappointment Lions haven't extended him yet; TE prepared to 'get paid somewhere else'

Four years ago, the Detroit Lions traded tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings midseason. The Vikings wound up signing him to a then-record-setting extension in the summer of 2023.

Hockenson's eventual replacement in Detroit, Sam LaPorta, is now due for a lucrative extension.

He's in the final year of his rookie deal, and, despite his impressive play upon returning from a back injury that cut his 2025 campaign short , the Lions still haven't extended him.

LaPorta, an Iowa product like Hockenson, expressed his disappointment in that situation during the latest episode of Barstool's "Pardon My Take" podcast.

The 2023 second-round pick was asked about playing with the uncertainty of his NFL future looming.

"I think the combination of getting your heartstrings twisted as well as the violent sport that we play, it sucks," LaPorta said. "And 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***ing back for the team. And then I'm going out there this year, and I'm balling, and maybe they're just not showing the love. "So it sucks. I'm going to continue to be a pro, and I dish a lot of that to my agent, and he handles that great. ... So I'm going to continue to go 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."

"I think the combination of getting your heartstrings twisted as well as the violent sport that we play, it sucks," LaPorta said. "And 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***ing back for the team. And then I'm going out there this year, and I'm balling, and maybe they're just not showing the love.

"So it sucks. I'm going to continue to be a pro, and I dish a lot of that to my agent, and he handles that great. ... So I'm going to continue to go 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."

LaPorta has been "balling." In five games this season, he's already piled up 27 catches, 316 receiving yards and 3 touchdown grabs.

The 25-year-old currently ranks fifth among all tight ends in receiving yards this season, and he's coming off a bye week.

LaPorta, who made the Pro Bowl and earned second-team All-Pro honors as a rookie in 2023, said on Tuesday's episode of "Pardon My Take" that he had a microdiscectomy last November. That procedure was necessary to address his herniated disc.

"So we're coming up on like 11 months, almost a year, but feeling good," LaPorta said. "I was talking to someone this morning actually about it, and I made the example: In training camp, we go live a little bit, but your teammates are still going to take it easy on you. So Week 1, you know, you take a couple of shots, and you kind of bounce up off the turf like, 'Oh yeah, I guess I can still do this. I can get smoked, get up and go back in and play like 90% of the snaps or whatever it was.' "So it's just kind of an eye-opening moment, but cool to bounce back from that."

"So we're coming up on like 11 months, almost a year, but feeling good," LaPorta said. "I was talking to someone this morning actually about it, and I made the example: In training camp, we go live a little bit, but your teammates are still going to take it easy on you. So Week 1, you know, you take a couple of shots, and you kind of bounce up off the turf like, 'Oh yeah, I guess I can still do this. I can get smoked, get up and go back in and play like 90% of the snaps or whatever it was.'

"So it's just kind of an eye-opening moment, but cool to bounce back from that."

LaPorta was placed on injured reserve last season in the lead-up to a Week 11 game against the Philadelphia Eagles.

So far this season, he's logged at least 56 offensive snaps in all five of the games the 3-2 Lions have played, according to Pro Football Focus.

He's once again been a reliable target for quarterback Jared Goff and a willing blocker for a Detroit offense that loves to run the ball, too.