Dan Skipper has made his decision.
Following the Detroit Lions‘ season finale earlier this month against the Chicago Bears, OT Dan Skipper admitted that he may have reached the end of his NFL journey but hadn’t yet officially decided his future plans.
That decision has now been made.
Skipper announced on Instagram that he is retiring from the NFL, and also expressed an interest in delving into the world of coaching.
“[Twenty-four] years of putting on pads and a helmet every fall,” Skipper wrote on Instagram. “This year, I’ll 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. Thankful for every person that has been a part of my journey. It’s time for me to ‘report’ as retired (Sorry, I had to do it one last time!).”
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Detroit Lions OT Dan Skipper’s NFL Journey Has Officially Reached An End
Skipper entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys in 2017, before later being signed to the Lions’ practice squad.
He subsequently spent time on the practice squads of the Denver Broncos, New England Patriots, and Houston Texans before making his return to Detroit for a second stint in 2019.
Skipper, who just wrapped up his fourth stint as a member of the Lions, he has also logged time on the practice squads of the Las Vegas Raiders and Indianapolis Colts.
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Dan Skipper Hinted At Retirement After Lions’ Season Finale Against Bears
Fighting back tears following Detroit’s season finale against the Chicago Bears, Skipper hinted that retirement could be on the horizon for him.
“This may be the last one,” he said.
Skipper then expressed an appreciation for his time with the Lions, which even included his sons learning the team’s fight song that is sung following every touchdown and win.
“I’ll never forget when I was in Dallas, one of the pro scouts was like, ‘Man, you got a chance to play 10 years,’ and I didn’t even see it at that point,” Skipper said. “So, finding a way to stick around and stick in and finding a home, and guys that appreciate you, a place to take you in and go and it’s just, yeah, I mean, (Detroit is) a special place. It’ll always hold a place in our heart. We had a kid born here and my boys know the damn fight song.”
Skipper said that going through several intense surgeries would likely play a role in his decision, which they ultimately did.
“You start getting some pretty intense surgeries – I’m old, tall,” he said. “So, we’ll see what happens.”
“You just give it everything you got each week and some weeks are all right and some weeks you can’t [bleeping] move,” he continued. “It just felt like as it went on, I started not being able to move. And it’s frustrating and it’s hard and I feel like stuff that you have been able to do for a long time, you can’t anymore. It sucks. But it’s just part of the aging process of being here and being hurt and everything else. But yeah, it’s sure definitely special for a lot of reasons but I owe a lot to the training staff and all that.”
At 6’10”, Skipper had been the tallest player in the NFL. Across 69 total appearances, he started in 16 games.
Michael Whitaker Michael Whitaker is a sports journalist based in metro Detroit with nearly a full decade of experience with publications like Clutch Points and The Hockey News. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from Eastern Michigan University. More about Michael Whitaker
Ex-Browns RB Nick Chubb Gets Bad News on NFL Future
Ex-Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is facing an uncertain future.
Former Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb is expected to be on the move again this offseason after spending just one year with the Houston Texans.
Chubb signed a one-year, $2.5 million deal with Houston after Cleveland elected not to re-sign the longtime fan favorite. His role expanded early in the season with Joe Mixon out, giving Chubb more opportunities than initially anticipated.
Chubb finished the season with 122 carries for 506 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt. However, his production tapered off as the year progressed. Chubb never reached the 100-yard mark in a single game, with his best outing coming in Week 5 against the Baltimore Ravens, when he rushed for 61 yards. By the back half of the season, second-year back Woody Marks had taken over the bulk of the workload.
Chubb’s time in Houston appears to be nearing its end. According to Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle, the Texans are unlikely to bring him back in free agency.
“Nick Chubb and Dare Ogunbowale are also free agents, and while Ogunbowale could return, Chubb likely won’t,” Alexander wrote. “But the Texans need an upgrade. When they drafted Woody Marks last year, he was intended to be a No. 2. Not that he can’t ever be a No. 1, but they can’t take that chance next year. They need a No. 1 next season, or at least someone to compete with him for the starting running back role.”
Ex-Browns RB Nick Chubb Has Troubling Injury History
A major positive for Chubb last season was his availability. He appeared in 15 games and made nine starts, an encouraging sign after a stretch marred by serious injuries. In the two previous seasons combined, Chubb had managed just 10 games in Cleveland.
His durability was very much in question after a devastating setback in Week 2 of the 2023 season, when he suffered a catastrophic knee injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers, tearing both his MCL and ACL. The severity of the damage sparked real concern about whether he’d ever return to the field. Chubb underwent two surgeries and missed the rest of the season, with his rehab extending well into the following year.
Chubb finally made his return in Week 7 of the following season, but his comeback hit another roadblock late in the year. In Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs, he fractured his foot, cutting his season short once again.
Reunion With Browns Unlikely for Nick Chubb
Chubb ending up back with the Browns appears very unlikely. Cleveland drafted both Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson to retool their backfield and both showed upside during their rookie campaigns.
Judkins finished with 230 carries for 827 yards and seven touchdowns. Sampson proved to be a solid change-of-pace complement to Judkins, finishing with 175 rushing yards and 271 receiving yards.
Chubb did not leave Cleveland on bad terms. Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam released a statement after deciding to move on from Chubb, saying he’s expected back in Cleveland one day as a Ring of Honor inductee.
“Nick has always been about hard work and letting his play on the field do the talking for him. We are so grateful for the many moments he created on the field that we will never forget. … Nick always puts winning above any personal accolade, and that is what makes him so special. Thank you for being a Brown, Nick, and we look forward to the day we celebrate your career as a member of our Ring of Honor.”
Over seven seasons in Cleveland, Chubb rushed for 6,843 yards and 51 touchdowns.
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote