The Detroit Lions led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 21-9, with 10:18 left in the fourth quarter. They sent kicker Jake Bates out onto the field to attempt a 58-yard field goal instead of trying to draw the defense offside before inevitably punting.
The Detroit Lions have added another former UFL star with the signing of Michigan Panthers cornerback D.J. Miller. The Lions have added former Panthers players before, as it's where they found their star kicker, Jake Bates.
As Jake Bates prepares for his second season in the NFL, the Detroit Lions kicker is entering the year with a clear mindset, focused on increasing his level of reliability. Following a rookie campaign in which he converted 26-of-29 field-goal opportunities, Bates appears even more focused on the job at hand.
In NFL history, 32 players have rushed for 10,000 or more yards over the course of their careers. How many of the 32 can you name in five minutes?
Detroit Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp is quite enamored with the team's place kicker. Jake Bates, who went from a soccer player to a brick salesman, eventually worked his way to the Lions' roster after excelling in the United Football League.
The NFL trade deadline looms in early November, and several teams with seller profiles have emerged. Here are the top candidates to be traded before that point.
The Detroit Lions found a much-needed answer at the kicker position last year, and the team benefitted greatly. Jake Bates gave the team a reliable and consistent option, and hit several big kicks for the Lions throughout the 2024 season.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates had an opportunity to play alongside Jason Hanson during a Pro-Am at the 2025 Rocket Classic. Also playing in the group were Lions specialists Jack Fox and Hogan Hatton.
The Detroit Lions have thought outside of the box the last few years while building their roster, and continue to prove there is more than one way to build a championship level team.
The Detroit Lions found a gem in former UFL kicker Jake Bates. After not attempting a field goal in college and returning home to sell bricks in Texas, Bates found his way to the UFL's Michigan Panthers and became a sensation after drilling several long kicks.
Last spring, this kid named Jake Bates lined up for a 64-yard field goal for the Michigan Panthers of the UFL and then kicked it right through the goal posts, and everything changed for him overnight. Not long after that, the Detroit Lions signed Bates, and he had a big-time rookie year and showed that he was for real.
Around this time last year, Detroit Lions fans found themselves glued to the TV to watch a kid from the UFL captivate the football world. That kid, of course, was Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates.
With the month of September in the books, both the top college prospects and 2026 NFL draft order are coming into focus. Here's a look at our latest first-round NFL mock draft as of October 13, 2025.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates does not want to make any moments bigger than they what actually are. Staying grounded and focused on the present has been a beneficial mindset for the former UFL kicker.
The Detroit Lions went into halftime trailing the San Francisco 49ers, 21-13. However, Dan Campbell's team came out firing on all cylinders. The Lions scored a touchdown via a Sam LaPorta reception and converted the two-point conversion to tie it at 21. Then, Jake Bates hit a 57-yard field goal, followed by an Amon-Ra St.
The Detroit Lions have officially clinched a playoff spot as they needed a last-second field goal to defeat the Green Bay Packers 34-31 in a "Thursday Night Football" game at Ford Field in Week 14.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates missed his first field goal of the season in Week 13, but it did not diminish what he did over the entire month. On Thursday, he was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates has been named Week 10's NFC Special Teams Player of the Week. Bates was clutch in the fourth quarter during Detroit's
The Detroit Lions struggled for the last three seasons to find a kicker, and it cost them a chance at winning several close games. Finally, it seems they have a legitimate solution to that problem.
Despite five interceptions from quarterback Jared Goff, the Detroit Lions overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to knock off the Houston Texans 26-23 on "Sunday Night Football."
Jake Bates kicked a 52-yard field goal just inside the left upright as time expired and the Detroit Lions overcame a 16-point halftime deficit to record a 26-23 victory over the host Houston Texans on Sunday night.
Detroit escaped "Sunday Night Football" with an improbable 26-23 win on a walk-off field goal from kicker Jake Bates.
With 15 seconds left in the game, a 44-yard field goal from Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates sealed the 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings. That clutch kick reverberated throughout the league.
The Detroit Lions pulled out a last-minute win against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday thanks to the efforts of their offense. But it would not have happened without Jake Bates.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates played hero against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
The Detroit Lions have their kicker in Jake Bates, After a rough start to camp, Bates has come along and played really well in both preseason games. The highlight was the big 43-yard walk off game winner against the Chiefs last Saturday.
He previously received interest from a few NFL teams, but because of his contract with the UFL squad, he was unable to sign with anyone until the team’s season came to an end.
As expected, Jake Bates‘ UFL season has generated NFL interest.
It was the first field-goal attempt for the 25-year-old since high school.
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