Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp gave some very high praise to Lions kicker Jake Bates in an excellent article over at The Athletic.
Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates is coming off one of the best debut seasons ever for an NFL kicker. And while I’m sure the Lions don’t want to put too much pressure on Bates to follow up his performance with another great one, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp is not shying away from putting a high ceiling on the 26-year-old’s future .
“I expect he’ll have ups and downs, but I also expect he’ll continue to get better and better,” Fipp told The Athletic. “I think he’s got a chance to be one of the best who ever played.”
This quote comes from an excellent profile of Bates via writer Dan Pompei . It features a detailed background of Bates falling out of love of soccer, his retirement from football and sports, and the miracle of the game finding him once again. It also features fun personal tidbits, like Bates’ routine of eating five ice cream scoops the night before a game. I highly recommend it.
But more than anything, the feature highlights just how much support and belief Bates has within the Lions facility. Even after a very shaky training camp, including one practice where he went six-of-14 on kick attempts and was convinced he was getting cut the next day, the Lions always believed in him.
“Love Bates,” Dan Campbell said. “He’s wired the right way. He puts the work in. He’s mentally strong. When a mistake was made, he kept it simple and corrected the cause of it. He didn’t get lost in his own head.”
Bates rewarded their patience and belief with an outstanding 2024 season. He made 26-of-29 field goals and 64-of-67 extra points. He went 6-of-8 from 50 or more yards, including a make of 58 yards, and finished the season with game-winning kicks and an additional one that sent the game to overtime (where Detroit eventually won).
Now he enters 2025 with a ton of expectations and a lot more confidence in his abilities.
“I would put myself up against anybody,” Bates told Pompei. “And I think I’ve worked harder.”