Dan Skipper, Lions OT, announces retirement, plans to coach in 2026
Dan Skipper 's playing days are done.
Skipper, the longtime Detroit Lions offensive lineman, announced his retirement Thursday in a post on Instagram, confirming a decision he said he was weighing after the Lions ' season-ending win over the Chicago Bears.
"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," Skipper wrote. "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 apart of my journey.
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"It’s time for me to “report” as retired.(Sorry I had to do it one last time!)"
Skipper did not immediately respond to a message inquiring about his coaching plans.
A cult hero in Detroit who played as the team's sixth lineman most of the past four seasons, Skipper said Jan. 4 he played through a lower back injury all season and had "some doctor's appointments" scheduled this month to get imaging on his back that could determine his future.
"You start getting some pretty intense surgeries that, I'm old, tall, so we'll see what happens," he said at the time.
Skipper, 31, is one of three Lions offensive linemen considering retirement this offseason along with left tackle Taylor Decker and center Graham Glasgow .
Decker, who Lions coach Dan Campbell said earlier this month will "need some time" to make his decision, posted a congratulatory message on Skipper's Instagram post.
While Decker and Glasgow are long-time starters and former 2016 draft picks, Skipper's fame is largely tied to his role as a swing tackle and the blue-collar path he took to make it in the NFL.
An undrafted rookie who originally signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, Skipper has played with the Lions for at least part of eight of his nine NFL seasons. He spent much of the early part of his career on NFL practice squads, and also had stints with the New England Patriots , Denver Broncos , Houston Texans , Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts .
In 2023, Skipper was a central figure in the Lions' controversial late-season loss to the Dallas Cowboys , when the Lions converted what appeared to be the go-ahead 2-point conversion on a tackle-eligible pass to Decker. The play was nullified by penalty when referee Brad Allen mistakenly said Skipper reported as the eligible receiver on the play.
The Lions lost the game after two more failed 2-point tries, but Skipper's profile blossomed as a result.
In five seasons with the Lions under Campbell, Skipper appeared in 57 games and made 16 starts, primarily as a sixth lineman.
"I’ll never forget when I was in Dallas, one of the pro scouts was like, 'Man, you got a chance to play 10 years,' and I didn’t even see it at that point," an emotional Skipper said after the Bears game. "So, finding a way to stick around and stick in and finding a home, and guys that appreciate you, a place to take you in and go and it’s just, yeah, I mean, (Detroit is) a special place. It’ll always hold a place in our heart. We had a kid born here and my boys know the damn fight song."
Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes have indicated that rebuilding the line will be one of the Lions' top priorities this offseason.
The Lions slumped from sixth to 14th in the NFL in rushing this season, Jared Goff took a career-high 38 sacks and the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 2022.
Starters Decker, Glasgow, right tackle Penei Sewell and guards Tate Ratledge and Christian Mahogany are under contract for 2026, but Glasgow is not expected to return at his current salary and the Lions could be in the market for a veteran center and more competition at guard.
Dave Birkett covers the Lions for the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky , X and Instagram at @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions OT Dan Skipper: 'Time for me to report as retired'
