Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker returning for 11th season

(Getty Images)

Indianapolis — Hours after Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell offered no update on offensive tackle Taylor Decker’s future on Monday, the veteran confirmed his plans to return for an 11th season via social media.

Decker announced his return with a Bible verse.

“Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Decker wrote in the caption on Instagram. “And I said, “Here am I; SEND ME!”

After an injury-plagued season, where a balky shoulder failed to cooperate and required an aggressive maintenance schedule, Decker acknowledged the mental and physical toll after the season finale, strongly hinting he might retire.

“I need to get away,” Decker said. “I need to get away from football. I need to get my body feeling better. I need to make informed decisions. I need to get second opinions. There’s a lot that I have to do. Because I want to make this decision moving forward, informed, and I don’t want to make it emotionally. Because if I make it emotionally, I already know what the answer’s gonna be.

“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? So, that’s really important to me. Because I can make the selfish decision. And 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 a husband. So, that’s gonna weigh heavily into my decision. What is the future quality of life of mine gonna look like? And how will that impact my kids?”

On Monday, at the league’s scouting combine, both Holmes and Campbell were asked about Decker’s decision. The unified message was that leadership was giving the veteran space and time to make his decision, although team sources previously confirmed that the Lions had asked for a decision ahead of the start of the new league year in March.

Campbell did acknowledge, regardless of Decker’s decision, that the team needs to address the tackle position this offseason.

“Look, if it’s not (Decker returning), then we’ve got to find a guy,” Campbell said. “But if it is, we’ve still going to find a guy. Because as much as I love Deck, he’s got some things that are going to need some management. That’s kind of where we’re at. One way or another, we’re going to need somebody that can play over there and that can help us if we need them in a crunch or we need them as a starter. That’s important.”