Longtime starting left tackle Taylor Decker has requested his release from the Detroit Lions. In a shocking Friday development, Decker took to his Instagram to share the news.
“Things change, 145 games started, 3 playoff appearances, 2 division titles, a decade carrying the shield. I fully intended to do it once again, but my time as a Lion is coming to an end. In the weeks since notifying the team of my return, there have been numerous discussions. Many of which were a surprise to me, and we could not find common ground. Therefore, I decided to request my release.
“I am opting for a clean and amicable close to what has been such a beautiful 10 years going to war as a Lion. It has been the absolute privilege of my life to be your LT for the past 10 years. And I am forever grateful for the opportunity the Ford family and Lions organization afforded me,” Decker wrote in his Instagram post.
The Friday news from Decker comes just a little more than a week after he announced his return to the Lions for an 11th season.
Decker’s future with the franchise had come into question after he revealed to the Detroit Free Press last December that he would mull retirement following the 2025 season.
“Like I said, ideally, I would play. I would continue to play,” Decker had said about his future last December. “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.”
It ends a 10-year run with the franchise that featured 145 starts and a Pro Bowl nod in 2024. By releasing Decker, the Lions save $11.6 million on their 2026 NFL salary cap, but Detroit adds an additional $9.4 million in dead money, per Over The Cap.
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This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Taylor Decker requests release from Detroit Lions
Reporting by Josh Helmer, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
