A DETROIT LIONS icon has abruptly announced his decision to officially retire from the NFL.

The Lions legend made his announcement on social media for his 54k followers on Instagram.

Dan Skipper, 31, will go down as one of the tallest players in the history of the sport at 6ft 10.

He was part of the New England Patriots team which won Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Georgia.

Skipper posted an emotional goodbye to his playing days but did reveal that he would be making a new step in his career.

The star has said that he will now be pursuing a career on the touchline as a coach.

He wrote, “24 years of putting on pads and a helmet every fall.

“This year I’ll trade that out to pursue a career on the other side in coaching.

“The memories and experiences that the NFL has brought me and my family are hard to put into words.

“Thankful for every person that has been a part of my journey.

“It’s time for me to “report” as retired. (Sorry I had to do it one last time!)”

Alongside the caption, he included pictures of himself throughout his career, including his signing with the Cowboys.

His fans flooded the comment section congratulating him on his career and wished him well on the next stages of his career.

One posted, “Earned every single thing every single day. Nothing but respect. You should be proud.”

A second wrote, “Proud of you big dawg and great career.”

A third commented, “Hell of a run big guy!”

A fourth said, “Reporting as devastated.”

Another added, “I’m now Reporting as sad Congrats big man, you deserve it.”

He began his career after being signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2017 when he was an undrafted free agent.

The offensive tackle spent the majority of his career with the Detroit Lions having four spells with the team.

He played 66 times for the Lions, including 12 games for Fan Campbell last season.

Skipper was unable to help the Lions reach the playoffs despite featuring in 228 offensive snaps and 60 special teams snaps.