Not even a dislocated finger could keep Detroit Lions offensive lineman Taylor Decker from continuing in his team’s Week 18 contest against the Chicago Bears, which was not only their final game of the season but may have been the final game in his NFL career.
Decker, a former 2016 first-round pick (16th overall) of the Lions, admitted that he has a massive decision in front of him as Detroit heads into a far earlier-than-anticipated offseason.
Fighting back tears after Detroit’s 19-16 win in their season finale at Soldier Field, Decker, who is the longest-tenured member of the Lions, admitted that the game has had both a physical and mental toll on his well-being and that he needs time to ultimately decide his future plans.
“I just want to get away because it’s been really challenging for me mentally, just being in pain all the time and knowing that you have to go out there and play anyway,” Decker said. “I’m just not in a good mental state right now. I’m not sleeping well. I mean, I just need to get away, and I go out there, and I play because I love the game and I love my teammates.”
“That makes it so much harder because it’s, I know I can still play.”
____________________________________________________________
Detroit Lions OL Taylor Decker Wants To Be Present For His Family
Decker knows that there’s a life waiting for him whenever it is that his NFL career ultimately comes to a close, and that his role of a husband and father is something that he takes very seriously.
“It’s a massive decision, and it’s not only about me,” Decker continued. “It’s about my kids. I’ll get emotional about that. Just to be able to show up and be the father that I want to be. It’s not about do I want to play football. That’s really important to me because I can make the selfish decision. I can keep playing until I can’t walk anymore or I can’t throw the ball with my kids.”
“But that’s not what you do as a father and husband. So that’s going to weigh heavily into my decision is what is. What is the future quality of life of mine going to look like, and how will that impact my kids?”
Decker, who underwent shoulder surgery before the start of Training Camp, earned his first Pro Bowl selection last season.
____________________________________________________________
The Lions Lost Offensive Lineman Frank Ragnow To Retirement Before This Season
In what proved to be a costly blow to their offensive line, the Lions lost Frank Ragnow, who decided to call it a career just a month after turning 30 years old.
He spent seven seasons in the NFL and earned four Pro-Bowl nominations before walking away from the game not long after the 2025 NFL Draft.
Despite a brief comeback attempt last month, a physical revealed a Grade 3 hamstring strain that ultimately kept him from returning to play.
If the Lions were to lose Decker to retirement, it would be the latest massive hole to fill for the offensive line, which went through more than their fair share of injuries this season, which is now officially in the books.
Detroit Lions OL Taylor Decker Fights Back Tears After Potential Final NFL Game