Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta revealed Tuesday that he and his wife Callahan were blessed by Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican this week.
LaPorta, who married Callahan on June 14, according to the New York Post’s Andrew Battifarano, shared a photo of himself and his wife receiving the blessing on Instagram.
“Thank you to a very busy man for blessing me and my bride,” he wrote. “A special moment we’ll never forget.”
Leo’s love for sports has been evident since he was named Pope in May. Specifically, the Chicago native is a White Sox fan. He was seen wearing a White Sox hat at the Vatican earlier this month. There was also a video found of him at the 2005 World Series between Chicago and the Houston Astros.
LaPorta is a Highland, Illinois, native, so he and the new pope share a home state.
LaPorta is coming off a strong second season in which he logged 726 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. After receiving a blessing from the Pope, he’ll look to have an even bigger year in 2025.