Decker is on track to be an All-American after being first team All-Big Ten last season. Football players and coaches prefer to talk about football as a team game but there’s nothing wrong with associating the word indispensable with Decker. The “I” word was brought up with Tony Mortensen who was a senior reserve quarterback on last year’s team.
“It’s the truth,” Mortensen said. “He really is. I think any team in this country would love to have Eric Decker and he would shine anywhere. He’s got that caliber of talent …with work ethic and doing the little things.”
Teammates admire Decker because of his humility, skill, work ethic, preparedness, determination and courage. “Guys look up to him when you have a player of that skill set,” Mortensen said. “He’s a leader and he talks to guys. He befriends them, whatever they need. It’s not just on the field. It’s off the field, hanging out with guys, just giving them talk.”
Mortensen said it’s part of the package for football players to play through pain and discomfort but Decker is special. “He plays at another level hurt,” Mortensen said. “He plays at a level where he can compete with the best.”
Last year Decker was injured and ineffective late in the season. He didn’t even play against Wisconsin and was limited in what he could do against Michigan and Iowa. The Gophers lost all three games.
Decker’s determination to play gave Mortensen encouragement that despite Decker leaving last Saturday’s game early and wrapping his ankle in ice, he will play against Northwestern. “The thing about Eric is he doesn’t stop,” Mortensen said. “He’s gonna rehab it (the ankle) like he was playing in the national championship.”