As the longest-tenured member of the Detroit Lions, left tackle Taylor Decker has been through some things. A starter since he was the team’s first-round pick back in the 2016 NFL draft, Decker has earned a ton of respect for his spirited play and leadership, even in the face of some truly bad football.
Winning the division in Week 16 is something special to everyone, but especially for Decker. He was driven to tears right after the game, releasing years of frustration in tears of jubilant emotion.
Even a few minutes later, an emotional Decker teared up while giving an interview with ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. Decker was barely able to keep himself together while talking about how much the NFC North title meant to him and the Lions organization.
“It’s emotional, man,” Decker said after brushing aside a tear. “We’ve been through a lot of battles. It’s been a long time coming and it feels great.”
Decker continued,
“It feels great to just dig ourselves out of that hole that we were in and to become a team that people respect. It’s just cool to play meaningful games in December. All of our goals and everything, it’s right in front of us. I couldn’t be happier. I love this group. I love these coaches, the whole organization and the city of Detroit. They deserve it.”