Weeks after tension surfaced, Jared Goff finally addressed the situation. His response gave some clarity on how the Detroit Lions are moving forward without their longtime left tackle.

Lions' writer Dave Birkett discussed how quarterback Jared Goff spoke about the exit of former Lions star, Taylor Decker, during football camp at Bloomfield Hills High School.

“Those guys were so special of friends and teammates for me,” Goff told Birkett. “It hurts. As a guy that you love those guys, but it’s out of my control obviously, and the team has to make certain decisions, and they did.”

During his interaction, Goff also recalled his other former teammates, Frank Ragnow and Graham Glasgow. 

Offensive tackle Taylor Decker was released as an unrestricted free agent from the Detroit Lions on March 9, 2026.

The Lions drafted Decker 16th overall in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Decker was a durable, consistent left tackle and a cornerstone of the Lions' offensive line. He honed his skills by protecting the blind side of QB Goff. 

According to Lions' insider Justin Rogers, Decker explained the reason he requested his release on March 28, 2026. He mentioned it was the pay cut that the Lions front office imposed on him.

Since neither party could arrive at a common ground, they eventually parted ways. 

Later the Lions President, Rod Wood, asked Decker to pay a portion of his signing bonus back to the team.

In the aftermath of the event, the controversy gained a lot of traction. Eventually, it left the Lions' roster vulnerable of a proven left tackle. This situation reminded everyone of how history repeated itself.

Decker's Departure Follows a Pattern of Bonus Disputes at Lions

It was not the first time that the Lions have asked a veteran to return their signing bonus. 

Previously, Hall of Fame legends Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson were also asked to return a piece of their signing bonus.

However, the Decker situation is a bit different. Since his draft, Decker has played 10 seasons with the Detroit Lions.

Pushing in through the injuries to keep up with the required production, he wanted something more from the team. 

Decker battled a lingering right shoulder injury throughout 2025,  but he did leave his team to hang in the dry.

According to Pro Football Reference, he appeared in 14 matches and generated 33 total pressure points. In 894 offensive snaps, he earned a PFF grade of 67.9. 

Rogers claims Decker accused the front office and head coach, Dan Campbell, of not reaching out to him after his release from the Lions.

Continuing with his accusations, he mentioned that he was not informed about the pay cut, and it made his decision of returning difficult.

According to Rogers, Decker wants to sign a one-day contract to play in a ceremonial game with the Lions to continue with his legacy and retire as a Lion.

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Written by

Kunwar Yashaswee Chhaunker

Edited by

Rishab Nandi