Dan Orlovsky tweets apparent goodbye to Lions fans

The Detroit Lions may be moving on from backup quarterback Dan Orlovsky. The 12-year veteran posted a cryptic tweet Saturday night that appeared to be a farewell to the fan base.

It read: “Detroit Vs. Everybody. It'll always be where it started for me. It'll always have a piece of my heart.”

Messages to the Lions and Orlovsky’s representatives were not immediately returned.

Detroit selected Orlovsky in the fifth round of the 2005 draft and he spent his first four seasons with the organization, starting seven games during the team’s 0-16 campaign in 2008. After stops in Houston, Indianapolis and Tampa Bay, he returned to Detroit in 2014, serving as Matthew Stafford’s backup the past four seasons.

After fending off training camp challenges from Kellen Moore and Jake Rudock in recent years to retain the backup job, Orlovsky was rarely needed in the regular season. He didn’t play a snap in 2016 and appeared in just two games the past three years, completing 22 of his 40 passes for 201 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

Stafford has started 96 consecutive game, a franchise record for a quarterback, and the fourth-longest active streak at the position.

The Lions drafted Rudock in the sixth round last season and promoted him off the practice squad late in the year after the Chicago Bears attempted to sign him. The dual-threat option played well in his first preseason, completing 30-51 for 333 yards, four touchdowns and one interception. He also ran for 62 yards on 10 carries.

If parting ways with Orlovsky, the Lions would likely add another quarterback to the roster in the coming months, either a veteran with minimal guarantees or a college prospect.

jdrogers@detnews.com

Twitter: @justin_rogers