Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker has been one of the franchise’s most reliable veterans since being drafted in the first round back in 2016. But this season, his biggest challenge isn’t just blocking defensive ends, it’s managing his own body.
After undergoing shoulder surgery in the offseason, Decker has been dealing with another injury that’s limited him in practice and left him grinding through Sundays in pain. On Wednesday, he opened up about what that toll looks like, not just for athletes, but for anyone living with chronic pain.
“I think anybody, not even talking about football, chronic pain is a mental battle,” Decker said as quoted by Lions OnSI. “When you’re at home with your kids and you’re like, ‘Oh, I’m in pain picking my kid up.’ Stuff like that, that’s just a mental battle I think for anybody who has any chronic pain. I have family members who have back problems and stuff like that day to day. I think for anybody, not just football players, that’s a mental battle.”
Taylor Decker
Playing Well — But Not at His Best
Decker has continued to suit up despite not being 100 percent, and by most accounts, he’s played well. But he admitted that his personal expectations make it frustrating.
“I think I’m playing well, but the frustrating thing for me is I think I could play better if I felt better,” Decker explained. “Yeah, the performances have been pretty good, but the frustrating thing is I have my own personal standards, and when you’re not at 100 percent it’s hard to meet those. But that’s why you still go out there and do your best for the team. I feel like if I’m out there, I give us a chance to win.”
Finding a Way Forward
The Lions have worked out a plan to help Decker manage his body for the rest of the season. That includes limiting practice reps and finding ways to reduce the wear and tear.
“I think it’s something that I’m gonna have to deal with a lot for a good portion of the year, but we do have a plan in place right now,” Decker said. “Whatever the plan has to be is fine, but I don’t want to have to not practice and not be able to do the lifts I need to do the entire season, and then to be a net negative on the back-end because maybe you’re being stupid about something.”
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Trusting the Lions’ Staff
Decker admitted he’s not always the easiest to deal with in these situations, but he credits the Lions’ training staff for protecting him when his competitive drive pushes him too far.
“I can be mad, and I can be hard to work with. They’re incredible, they don’t take it personally. I’ve told them before that they sometimes need to protect me from myself,” Decker noted. “I know how I am as a player. If you tell me I can go out there at 50 percent and help the team win, I’ll do it. We have a plan in place, we have an idea of what we’re gonna do moving forward.”
The Bottom Line
Taylor Decker’s honesty shines a light on something fans don’t always see: the grind of playing through pain. He’s still giving Detroit everything he has, even if he’s not at 100 percent, because he believes being on the field gives his team a better chance to win. For Decker, it’s not just about toughness; it’s about finding balance, leaning on the Lions’ staff, and proving that even when football is physically punishing, the mental battle is just as real.