Lions reportedly re-signing OL who was at the center of the controversy in Dallas
ALLEN PARK — Perhaps the most famous swing tackle in the league is headed back to Detroit, as Dan Skipper has agreed to sign a one-year deal with the Lions, according to NFL Network.
The journeyman offensive lineman has been cut more than 20 times during a seven-year career that has taken him everywhere from Dallas to Denver, New England, Houston, Las Vegas, Indianapolis and of course Detroit … three times. But Skipper has finally found some staying power with the Lions, carving out a role as a trusted swing tackle under Dan Campbell.
He’s most famous for being at the heart of the officiating controversy in Dallas this past season. On a 2-point play that could have given the Lions a lead with 23 seconds left, Skipper ran onto the field and used his hands to relay the formational signals into the huddle. One arm was raised in the air with a flexed bicep, Detroit’s signal for a jumbo package, while the other hand was shaped like a gun near his chest, the signal for 12 personnel, a package that includes one running back, two tight ends and two receivers on the field.
Referee Brad Allen interpreted these signs as Skipper reporting as an eligible receiver, and ignored left Taylor Decker, who was standing directly in front of him to report eligibility.
The rest is history. Jared Goff threw a successful pass to Decker in the end zone for what appeared to be the go-ahead score, but was instead flagged for illegal touching, because Skipper had been incorrectly identified as reporting eligibility. Detroit lost the game, and valuable playoff seeding because of it. (Not that it mattered once Dallas lost in the wild-card round against Green Bay, securing another home playoff game for the Lions anyway.)
As for Skipper, he was initially mystified by the ruling and later frustrated by the league pointing its finger at him for Allen’s mistake, but also embraced the newfound notoriety in Detroit. He received a standing ovation the next time he reported as eligible at Ford Field, then brought the house to its feet when he actually did catch a third-quarter pass in the regular-season finale against Minnesota.
“I thought it was great, man,” head coach Dan Campbell said. “Everybody loves Skip, right?”
And now Skip is reporting as eligible for another season in Detroit.
