Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper is hanging up his pads after a nine-year NFL career, which included multiple stints in Detroit.
Skipper, 31, announced his decision in a post on Instagram on Thursday that after “24 years of putting on pads and a helmet every fall” that he will “trade that out to pursue a career on the other side in coaching.”
“The memories and experiences that the NFL has brought me and my family are hard to put into words.,” Skipper wrote. “Thankful for every person that has been apart of my journey,” he wrote. “It’s time for me to ‘report’ as retired. (Sorry I had to do it one last time!)”
Retirement was something that had been on Skipper’s mind during the regular season.
On Jan. 4, he told reporters that he played through a lower back injury all season and was slated to see doctors and undergo imaging to help figure out his future on the field.
“You start getting some pretty intense surgeries that, I’m old, tall, so we’ll see what happens,” Skipper said at the time.
The journeyman lineman spent time with the Cowboys, Broncos, Patriots, Texans, Raiders, Colts and four separate stints with the Lions.
Skipper appeared in 66 games for the Lions and started in 16, while also holding the distinction as just one of three offensive linemen in franchise history to have recorded a touchdown reception.
Skipper’s jaunt into coaching could be getting underway sooner rather than later.
ESPN reported Skipper will be a volunteer offensive line coach for the East Team during the East-West Shrine Bowl that takes place next week.
Skipper played collegiately at Arkansas before he signed with the Cowboys in May 2017 as an undrafted free agent.
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