DETROIT, MI - DECEMBER 04: Dan Skipper #70 of the Detroit Lions runs across the field during an NFL football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field on December 4, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
DETROIT (FOX 2) - Detroit Lions offensive tackle Dan Skipper announced he is retiring on Thursday to pursue a career in coaching.
Skipper, who has been on and off with the Detroit Lions since joining their practice squad in 2017, announced his retirement on Instagram.
"24 years of putting on pads and a helmet every fall. This year I’ll trade that out to pursue a career on the other side in coaching," Skipper wrote. "The memories and experiences that the NFL has brought me and my family are hard to put into words."
The backstory:
The 31-year-old's current run with the Gridiron Heroes started in 2023 when he returned to the team for his fourth stint. He was signed to their practice squad, where he was eventually moved to the active roster. That season, he was involved in the controversial call in their Week 16 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
There, Skipper caught a two-point conversion that would have won the Lions the game. That was when officials flagged offensive tackle Taylor Decker for an illegal touching penalty due to confusion about whether Skipper was accidentally reported as an eligible receiver.
He would re-sign with the Lions in 2024 and then part ways with them in August 2025 until returning to the practice squad. He was later promoted to the active roster on October 8.
Lions throw shade over disputed 2-point play with tackle-eligible call on 1st snap at Cowboys
On the first offensive snap by the Lions in their return to the home of the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, Dan Skipper reported as eligible for a vanilla 5-yard run by David Montgomery.
What's next:
Skipper's announcement comes after a 9-8 season with the Lions. His post was met with support from his teammates as well as Holly Campbell, the wife of Lions Head Coach Dan Cambpell.
"It’s time for me to "report" as retired," Skipper wrote.
The Source: FOX 2 used information from previous reporting and from Dan Skipper's Instagram.
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