During Thanksgiving week, Detroit Lions went through the range of emotions over the span of a few days. Center Frank Ragnow was going to come out of retirement, then three days later the team announced a physical showed a Grade 3 hamstring strain (i.e., a full tear) that would prevent his return.
When Ragnow retired in June, left tackle Taylor Decker became the longest-tenured Lions' player by a good margin. He was the first first-round pick by former general manager Bob Quinn, No. 16 overall in 2016, and before 2023 he was the only Lion who had played in a playoff game.
On the field, Decker is still performing well in Year 10. But he has battled a shoulder issue throughout, with two missed games as a result of it. Last spring's significant shoulder surgery, an AC joint decompression and clavicle incision to relieve bone spurs in his rotator cuff, was the fifth procedure he has undergone in his career.
Decker's list of injuries extends beyond what has been surgically fixed, as is common for a player who has been in the league as long as he has. Managing his body is a core part of his weekly preparation.
Taylor Decker is ready to consider tough decision about his future
Decker recently had a candid conversation with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. In a similar situation to Ragnow, with a young family and a litany of injuries he has dealt with in his career, he revealed he will consider retirement after the season.
"Like I said, ideally, I would play. I would continue to play (at least one more year),” Decker said. “But I just need to sit and evaluate, and … this is not a decision that I want to make now or kind of consider right now, cause it would be an emotional decision. 'Cause like I said, right now, this has not been a fun year. But I know if I remove those variables that have made it unfun, I still enjoy playing football. And I think I'm playing really well.”
Decker told Birkett he feels he can maintain his current level of play for "five more years" if he wanted. With an early goal to play 10 years in the NFL, which he has now reached, desire to keep playing is what it will come down to now.
Decker told Birkett about a conversation he had with Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz, who spent a week on the Lions' practice squad during the 2023 playoffs, as the time came to report to OTAs last spring.
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"I was like, ‘Yeah, but you got to do it. You got to go to work. That’s how you support your family,’” Decker said. “And he’s like, ‘That’s not true. You could have quit playing football three years ago. You're doing it because you want to do it.’ So at least keep that into perspective. Don't gaslight yourself into, ‘Oh, I got to go to work.’ Because we're very fortunate with the profession we're in."
“And he was like, ‘Just don't lie to yourself about that. If you want to do it because it's important to you, great. That's fine. But don't manipulate the perspective of, you have to get up and go.’ That’s silly."
"And that’s something where like, I’m sure my wife and my kids would love it if I didn’t play anymore. I know some of my siblings have said, ‘I would love it if you didn’t play anymore,’ cause they’re worried about long-term health and stuff."
"But I always tell them, it’s easy because you haven’t played football your whole life and you’re not in the locker room. 'Cause when it’s gone, it’s gone.”
While Decker doesn't necessarily fit neatly into that box, it's often said if a player is considering retirement on the level he has now allowed to be made public, they are effectively already retired. Whatever he decides to do after the season, one thing is absolutely certain.
The Lions' succession plan at left tackle is now very prominently on the radar for the offseason.