New Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the highest-paid defender in NFL history, says he always wanted to remain with the Detroit Lions.

“There is no question that it’s a huge misconception that I didn’t want to be here,” Suh told the Detroit Free Press. “I’ve always wanted to be here, especially growing up (as a person) here, being drafted here and having such a huge warm welcome. I think anybody would be crazy not to want to be at a place that they’re superbly embraced.

“There’s tons of people in this community that I have gotten to know over time that to me, one, I’ve created mentors here, people from the business world that have just reached out and wanting to make sure that I’m doing the right things. So for me it was not an easy decision by any means.”

The Dolphins and Suh came to agreement last Sunday on a six-year deal that reportedly is worth $114 million and includes $60 million in guaranteed money. Suh arrived in Miami on Wednesday and signed the deal.

“For me, my goal was always to come back,” Suh told the Free Press. “I was never looking to want to leave and figure out a different situation. But at the end of the day, I have to do what’s best for myself and for my family because at the end of the day, those are people I have to look in the eyes each and every single day for the rest of my life and know I made the right decision for us as a whole and for my future and my future kids, my wife, that I’ll eventually hopefully have soon.”

The Dolphins and Suh’s agent, Jimmy Sexton, discussed the parameters of the Dolphins deal during a 72-hour window that opened for pending unrestricted free agents to talk with teams.

Suh will earn $60 million through the first three years — surpassing the $51.8 million in guaranteed money the Houston Texans gave defensive lineman J.J. Watt as part of a six-year, $100 million deal last offseason. The overall value of Suh’s deal surpasses Watt’s contract.

“I thought at every single point through the process that I was going to be in Detroit. Even after they didn’t do the franchise tag … I still felt just a great, great chance of me still being in Detroit. So, it wasn’t until really, really late, late in the process is where I was like, ‘Wow, I got to, I actually got to start thinking outside of Detroit.'”