In the immediate aftermath of the final game of the 2025 NFL season for the Detroit Lions, veteran offensive lineman Taylor Decker was asked about his future plans with the club and admitted that he was mulling retirement.
However, what are the chances that the Lions make the first move if his mind isn’t made up or if he ultimately decides to keep playing?
ESPN Insider Aaron Schatz has predicted that the Lions will actually cut Decker if he decides to return, citing his age and the drop-off in his effectiveness.
“The Lions will cut left tackle Taylor Decker if he does not retire,” Schatz wrote. “He will be 33 years old next season and has had issues with shoulder injuries. In 2025, he fell to 45th out of 69 ranked tackles in pass block win rate, and he ranked 61st in run block win rate.”
Decker, who started 14 of Detroit’s 17 games in the recently completed season and signed a three-year, $60 million extension in 2024, had gone through a grueling training regimen to be healthy enough to be able to start, and didn’t sound open to the idea of going through it again just to prolong his NFL career.
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Is Longtime Detroit Lions Offensive Lineman Taylor Decker Going To Retire From The NFL?
Following their season finale against the Bears earlier this month, Decker fought back tears in his postgame media availability session while acknowledging that he very well may have played his final season in the NFL.
“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.”
Decker also said that he wants to be present for his family, saying that his future quality of life is going to be a major factor in his decision.
“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.”
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The Lions Pledged To Rebuild Their Offensive Line
The Lions weren’t aided by the retirement of Frank Ragnow, and if Decker ultimately decides to retire (or is simply cut as predicted by ESPN), it would give general manager Brad Holmes another giant pair of shoes to have to fill in the offseason.
“But no, it hadn’t been ignored, we tried to do the best we can,” Holmes said in his season-ending press conference. “I was excited about the youth injection that we did go with. I think it was necessary. But I believe I mentioned after we acquired those players that there’s going to have to be some patience, there’s going to be some things that those young guys hadn’t seen before. I do think that those young players will get better.
“But just the offensive line as a whole, whether it’s the interiors or the tackle, that’s something that’s going to continue to see we’re going to have to be urgent in terms of adding to.”
