Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker to weigh retirement in offseason
Taylor Decker: “Whatever my future may hold, I don’t want to make that decision now.”
Allen Park — The longest-tenured member of the Detroit Lions doesn’t intend to make a decision regarding his future until after the 2025 season.
Taylor Decker, in his 10th year as Detroit’s starting left tackle, wants to play against the Chicago Bears in Week 18 before he decides whether he’s ready to retire. Decker missed Week 17 versus the Minnesota Vikings with an illness, but Lions coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday that Decker, “barring anything this week,” should be ready to go for the finale.
“As I’ve said all along, whatever my future may hold, I don’t want to make that decision now,” Decker said Wednesday. “Because I don’t want to make it emotionally, and I want to give this last game for our season the attention it deserves.
“I don’t want it to be about me. It’s never been about me. The game is what it is. The NFL will move on whenever I decide to be done playing football, so none of that matters and I don’t want to make it about me. I want to just go out there and play with my teammates. I don’t have a timeline on any of that, but I do have some things that I’m going to have to figure out to see where I’m at. But as of right now, I’m just operating as business as usual.”
Asked what are some of the most important factors that’ll play into his decision, Decker requested a raincheck because “I feel like if I start getting into that, then it will end up being a headline that’s about me. I don’t want that.” What he’ll undoubtedly consider is his health; Decker has missed three games this season and has been managing injuries to his shoulder since training camp.
The Lions don’t have anything to play for against the Bears, but Decker wants to be available because, as he put it, “winning has become the standard” over the last handful of years. The Lions can’t make the playoffs, but they can secure their fourth consecutive winning season, something that hasn’t been done in more than 50 years.
“While that’s a s—– consolation prize, that’s all we can control, is what’s in front of us,” Decker said. “That’s why it’s important. It’s a privilege to play this game. … We don’t play 100 games, we play 17. That makes every one that much more important, especially in a game that’s as injury-prone as this one is.
“If you can play, it’s a privilege to play.”
rsilva@detroitnews.com
@rich_silva18
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