Before he signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency in June, kicker Jake Bates was a star in the United Football League, where he drilled countless long field goals with the Michigan Panthers, including multiple from 60-plus.
Among those long field goals was a 64-yarder, which just so happened to be the second-longest field goal in Ford Field history behind Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker, who blasted a 66-yarder against the Lions in 2021.
Harkening back to his UFL days, Bates attempted a 64-yard field goal at practice on Sunday and absolutely drilled it, with plenty of room to spare. Bates' attempt would have been good from 70-plus.
Jake Bates ends practice with a 64-yard 💣 pic.twitter.com/9jZjIi36Xa
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 11, 2024
After a rough go of it lately in training camp, Bates has been gaining momentum in recent days. Before his 64-yard field goal on Sunday, Bates drilled a 53-yarder in preseason Week 1 on Thursday night.
After the game, head coach Dan Campbell revealed the team gave Bates a vote of confidence ahead of the exhibition contest, expressing his faith in the kicker.
“It was good to see Jake hit that field goal — 53 yarder with the rain right down the pipes," Campbell said, per Jeremy Reisman of Pride of Detroit. "We told him after the scrimmage the other day, ‘We’re sticking with you. We’re going to give you a chance to grow here. Let’s see how you respond.’ He was told that, (Dave) Fipp told him, I told him, and so I thought it was encouraging.”
Bates remains the only kicker on the Lions' roster after Michael Badgley's season-ending injury. It's quite clear the Lions are going to give him every opportunity to secure the job.
Bates will have his next opportunity to prove himself when the Lions travel to Arrowhead to take on the Kansas City Chiefs in preseason Week 2 on Saturday.