The Detroit Lions have a complete roster across the board, but often times, it doesn't take long for a team's kicking game to become a tough situation.
Kickers can be unpredictable, and slumps can happen. The process of kicking is more mental than physical, which means that kickers can go through more than other players on the team in quieter fashion. Such was the case with Jake Bates in 2025.
After being phenomenal in 2024 and missing just three kicks all year, Bates was more inconsistent in 2025. He was 27-34 on kicks, and had a long field goal of just 59 yards. That qualifies as a significant slump for a player who burst on the scene in his first NFL season.
Entering 2026, though, there is hope that Bates has turned the corner. He managed to beat the Chicago Bears in the season finale with an impressive 42 yard field goal, and parlayed that momentum into the offseason program.
To close out the OTA and minicamp portion of the offseason, Bates apparently drilled a 64 yard field goal that could have been good from closer to 70 yards according to those in attendance.
Jake Bates ended Lions minicamp with a 64-yard field goal that would’ve been good from 70 yards, per @DetroitOnLion 😳 pic.twitter.com/aU2QO3elmO
— 𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔇𝔢𝔱𝔯𝔬𝔦𝔱 𝔗𝔦𝔪𝔢𝔰 📰 (@the_det_times) June 17, 2026
Obviously, it's one thing to nail kicks from distance in practice, but another to do it in a game. Bates does have lengthy field goals to his credit in the USFL, having connected on a 64 yard kick in the league, which stands as the longest ever made. With this in mind, he does have the leg strength to boom similar kicks in the NFL.
Bates still feels blessed by his opportunity as a kicker with Lions
Mentally, Bates is as close to an unbreakable character as there is. That's because he realizes nothing is guaranteed, and remembers how close he was to being forced to give up his dream of kicking in the big leagues.
After a clutch field goal in 2024, Bates explained his story of attempting to work for Acme Brick in Houston, Texas. He thought his football career was over, but in reality, it had only just begun. His journey would soon take him to the USFL and then the NFL.
"I was a full worker there, but I hadn't started. I was still doing training, ride alongs and stuff like that. I was training to be a brick salesman. I thought football was done so I thought I had to move on with my life and do something else. Luckily, the Lord had something else in store. I think I have the best job in the entire world, I wouldn't trade it for anything."
It's obvious that Bates isn't going to let one rocky season shake him. Mentally, he's going to be thankful for every opportunity he has and rise to the occasion when given a chance. It's clear Bates is a fighter who appreciates all he has. Betting against someone like that is a fool's errand.
The Lions stuck with Bates last season, and that looks like good news for this year. The fact that he's off to a good start in practice shouldn't surprise anyone given his track record.
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