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As Kenny Golladay starts to again emerge as one of the NFL’s top wide receiver talents, the heat is on the Detroit Lions to simply pay the man.
Despite his solid play since drafting him, the Detroit Lions and their top receiver have yet to agree on a contract extension beyond the 2020 season. In the offseason, Golladay spoke optimistically about getting a deal done, and there was even an erroneous reports out there that the two sides were “closing in on an extension” back in September.
But since then, there’s been absolute silence. Golladay made a cryptic Instagram post a week ago suggesting he may be growing impatient with the lack of a contract deal, but this week he told media that he’s still very much interested in sticking around Detroit—potentially for the rest of his career.
“Detroit definitely took a chance drafting me in the third round and I appreciate that,” Golladay told WXYZ’s Justin Rose. “I’m a loyal person and I wouldn’t mind wanting to be here for the rest of my career. I could never be more grateful for what the organization did for me and my family.”
Barry Sanders was in on the interview, too (promoting their latest Pepsi ad campaign), and he offered to help the Lions lock up Golladay long-term.
“Where do I send in my check for the contract,” Sanders joked.
You can watch a portion of the interview here:
Here's more from that interview with Kenny Golladay and Barry Sanders with more contract talk with the both of them.
— Justin Rose (@JRoseWXYZ) October 28, 2020
"Where do I send my check?" - @BarrySanders said about helping keep Golladay in Detroit. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/bbKXW6k8OY
- Don’t read this if you believe in jinxes, but Justin Rogers of the Detroit News points out that the Lions are the first team in NFL history to have zero fumbles through the first six games of the season. (Note: That’s zero fumbles period. Not just zero fumbles lost.)
- We gave Romeo Okwara some love on Tuesday, and the Lions PR department followed on Wednesday:
Through Week 7, @Lions DE @RomeoND45 is 1-of-2 defensive ends in the @NFL to have a 5-game streak with a TFL.
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) October 28, 2020
He joins Myles Garrett & Jason Pierre-Paul as the only defensive ends in the League to have 4.0 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery this season.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/rKq15K4yHe
- Another great piece from Rogers on none other than Romeo Okwara. He is one of four Lions players with roots in Nigeria, and he talked to the Detroit News about how he’s been preoccupied with recent protests in his native country against police brutality that has recently turned violent.
- Trey Flowers has quietly been ingratiating himself into the city of Detroit with his Flowers of the Future foundation. His latest donation to the community: 4,000 meals to workers at the Henry Ford Hospital:
#Lions' Trey Flowers provided 4,000 meals of gratitude to Henry Ford Hospital workers: https://t.co/OZcQ1oHKZc pic.twitter.com/owQnExMjGk
— Rod Beard (@detnewsRodBeard) October 27, 2020
- Dying for more Everson Griffen content? Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon talked to a bunch of Cowboys media to hear about his brief time in Dallas. Also, here he is boarding the plane to Detroit:
EG is ready pic.twitter.com/qZejXzihQX
— Tyler Sawa (@tyler_sawa) October 28, 2020
- Matt Ryan was mic’d up last week, and it caught audio of his embrace with Matthew Stafford after the game (3:45 mark):
- PSA: If you’re local and want to re-watch Lions vs. Falcons, it’s playing on Fox Sports Detroit tonight (Wednesday) at 8 p.m. ET. (But make sure you watch our Lions-Colts preview podcast at 7 p.m. ET on our Twitch channel first.)