Lions OL calls out critics after surprise turnaround

Lions lineman Taylor Decker walks off the field after training camp in Allen Park on Thursday, July 29, 2021.
Lions

The Detroit Lions have suddenly been winning plaudits as their season has rapidly turned around, coming on the heels of several losing seasons. For those who have been part of the franchise for some time, that is satisfying, but perhaps not as pleasing as one might think.

Offensive lineman Taylor Decker, who has played for the Lions since they drafted him in 2016, had a message for those that have joked about the Lions’ futility for the last few years: it will not be forgotten.

“I like it, but ultimately I’m going to remember all the times we were the butt of the joke on ESPN and ‘Good Morning Football,’ when everybody was sh—— on us,” Decker said, via Justin Rogers of the Detroit News. “That’s what I’m going to remember. We, in this locker room, got ourselves out of that. And it’s a small sample size, and it’s something we have to find a way to sustain over a longer time, but I would say I’ll remember that more.

“…It’s great, we appreciate it, but I’m going to remember getting s— on. I’m going to remember people making fun of us. I’m going to remember winning games and teams going, ‘How did we lose to the Lions? What’s going on?’ That’s what I’m going to remember.”

The Lions have won five of six after a 1-6 start, putting them back in the NFC playoff race. Some of it might be luck, but the offense has been consistently productive and the defense has improved. Decker, for one, sounds unlikely to rest on his laurels based on the experience of the last few years.