Thank you, Taylor Decker. If this was indeed your last game in the NFL, the Detroit Lions and all of us Lions’ fans owe you a debt of gratitude. If you decide to ride off into the sunset and start the next chapter of your life, we wish you nothing but the best. You have certainly earned it.
Been Through It All
Since the Lions made Decker their first-round pick in 2016, he has been through it all. After playing college ball at Ohio State, the Lions selected Decker 16th overall to be their new left tackle. Decker held down one of the most difficult positions on the field for a decade. Along the way, he has experienced almost everything a football player can over the course of a career.
Matt Patricia Era
When Decker came to the Lions, they were supposed to be a team on the rise. Detroit fired Head Coach Jim Caldwell and replaced him with Matt Patricia after the 2017 season. Caldwell had coached the Lions for four seasons, achieving three winning seasons, including two playoff appearances. His tenure was the most successful any Lions’ coach had earned in a long time. The team, however, decided that it was time to take the next step. Detroit thought Patricia was the right man to lead them over the hump from good to great. Oh, how wrong they were.
The Lions would go on to have a 13-29-1 record under Patricia in his two-plus seasons as coach. Through all of the misery and disappointment of that time, Decker remained a stalwart as Matthew Stafford’s blindside protector. Though never being selected to a Pro Bowl during these years, Decker consistently remained in the upper echelon of Left T
ackles. His play would earn him a lucrative contract extension after his rookie deal ended. Decker stuck with the Lions through some of the worst years in team history. He deserved the success that was soon to come.
Dan Campbell Takes Over
The Lions hired Dan Campbell and Brad Holmes to be their new Head Coach and General Manager before the 2021 season. Their arrival brought a fresh sense of hope to the team and its fan base. The new regime’s first set of business was to find a suitable trade for Stafford, who had finally grown tired of all of the losing. The quarterback had proven himself to be one of the best in the league, but knew his only chance to win a Super Bowl was to go elsewhere. Not an easy task for any team, especially one with nervous leaders just taking the reins. Holmes would send Stafford to the Rams, and he would immediately win it all the very next season. That trade would go on to become the foundation for the Lions’ ascent to one of the NFL’s best teams.
2022-2024
The Lions would struggle to a 3-13-1 record in 2021. As Holmes and Campbell started to build the team from the bottom up, they rid themselves of bad contracts and aging veterans. Decker remained a leader and veteran presence during this time of transition. He would go on to be one of the big reasons for the Lions’ upcoming rise.
In 2022, Decker manned his usual spot as the Lions went 9-8. They would only fall short of the postseason on the last Sunday after starting the year 1-6. Decker was finally being rewarded for his commitment to the only NFL franchise he has ever known.
The next year would see the Lions go 12-5 and win their first playoff game since 1992. A heartbreaking loss to San Francisco in the NFL Championship Game finally ended their most successful season in the Super Bowl Era. Decker’s play was a catalyst for the offense becoming one of the most exciting in the league.
The Lions and Decker would make another jump in 2024. The team dominated the regular season on its way to a 15-2 record. Decker’s play went up a notch, and he was finally selected to his first-ever Pro Bowl, a well-deserved accolade for someone who had seen so much losing throughout his career. Decker was rewarded with a 3-year, $60 million extension.
Was 2025 Decker’s Final Year?
The 2025 season saw Detroit take a significant step backward. Decker spent the entire season dealing with a serious shoulder injury. The injury would cost Decker a handful of games and made him unable to practice through much of the year. When he did play, it was easy to see Decker was hurting. His toughness, grit, and commitment to the team were on display every week. Those qualities are what we have come to expect from Decker.
After the Lions’ disappointing season ended on Sunday with a 19-16 win over the Chicago Bears, Decker sure sounded like a man leaning towards retirement. If that is the case, we should all be thankful for his contributions to the Lions. He certainly has earned the respect and admiration of everyone across the NFL. If Decker does decide his NFL career is over, he will be missed and never forgotten by Lions fans.
Thank you, Taylor Decker. It has been a privilege watching you play for the past decade.