Detroit Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper announces retirement, says he plans to coach

Detroit Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper announced on Thursday that he is retiring after nine seasons in the NFL and has his sights set on coaching.

In a social media post, the 31-year-old said, "The memories and experiences that the NFL has brought me and my family are hard to put into words. Thankful for every person that has been apart of my journey."

The Lions have not yet released a statement. Skipper was said to be considering retirement after the 2025 season, along with Taylor Decker. The Lions ended with a 9-8 record and were eliminated from playoff contention. 

Skipper, who initially signed with the Dallas Cowboys as an undrafted free agent, appeared in his first game with the Lions in 2017 alongside then-quarterback Matthew Stafford in Week 8. After signing to practice squads with other teams, Skipper appeared in 16 games with the Lions in 2022 and 11 games in the 2023 season.

In 2024, he appeared in all 17 games of the Lions' historic 15-2 record season.

He won Super Bowl LIII with the New England Patriots in 2019.

Note: The video above originally aired on Jan. 8, 2026.