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Lions' Taylor Decker: "I want this team and this city to win"

Taylor Decker Washington Lions Football
Posted at 4:06 PM, Jan 04, 2021
and last updated 2021-01-04 16:06:58-05

DETROIT — (WXYZ) -- Detroit Lions offensive tackle Taylor Decker expressed his thoughts about the future during the team's season-ending press conference Monday.

"I want to be here my whole career," Decker told reporters. "I want to be a winner. And I want this team and this city to win."

Decker, Detroit's first-round draft pick in 2016, signed a long-term contract extension in September.

"I'm not gonna overstep, but I'm gonna go have conversations...I'm gonna go talk to (team president Rod Wood) and just give my opinion, because I am invested in this team," Decker said. "And there are people who, if it were up to me, I'd want to keep. That's not my decision to make, but over the past five years, I feel like I've put a lot into this organization and given what I can, so if I can just go put a word in for a player or a coach, I'll do it."

Decker explained he and his teammates' day-to-day perspective on meetings and other team activities could be helpful when discussing potential culture changes with team leadership.

"It's really easy to just say 'oh, we'll just go and blow up everything,'" Decker said. "But I think there are some pieces that are working well, and could continue to work well. And for the player input, for things we're dealing with every single day in meetings, if there's something we like, I think they'd be open to hearing those opinions."

Decker was also asked about Matthew Stafford's uncertain future.

"I love Stafford," Decker said. "He's, for me personally, my most-respected teammate I've ever played with. I couldn't have more respect for the guy. And you see it year in and year out...how tough that guy is, how professional that guy is. And he, more than anybody, will tell you 'I want to win, I love playing football, and I'll do anything I can to try and put this team and this organization in a position to win.'"

"So there's a lot of unknowns and I don't necessarily know what's going to happen, but I would love to be able to keep playing and keep protecting his blind side, because I love him. The dude is a phenomenal talent, he's a phenomenal football player, and he's a phenomenal teammate and friend. So whatever happens happens, but I think everybody knows I love Stafford, and I'll keep telling everybody that."