Detroit Lions starting kicker Michael Badgley tore his hamstring during warmups ahead of Thursday's practice, and as a result he will miss the entirety of the 2024 NFL season.
Lions K Michael Badgley suffered a severe injury getting ready for practice yesterday and will be put on injured reserve and will miss the season
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) July 26, 2024
"Badgley had a significant injury yesterday getting ready for practice," coach Dan Campbell said. "He will be on injured reserve coming up. He will be out for the season, he's actually having surgery. Feel awful for Badge, man, he worked his tail off to get ready for the season, he had a good spring and was ready for camp. Anyway, it's tough."
Badgley, 28, has played six seasons in the NFL, and spent parts of the last two seasons with the Lions, making 24-of-28 kicks, while also knocking down all four of his postseason kicks last year.
The coach confirmed that All-UFL kicker Jake Bates will be the front-runner to take over the kicking duties, as the 24-year-old was a stand out player for the Michigan Panthers in the United Football League. To note, he made three 60+ field goals during the 2024 season, including a 64-yard game-winning field goal vs. the St. Louis Battlehawks.
The #Lions' only healthy kicker now is Jake Bates, who made three field goals of 60+ yards during the 2024 UFL season. All three occurred at Ford Field, where the Lions play. https://t.co/wIHkPRS2L3
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 26, 2024
That is to say, Bates actually already made a name for himself at practice, as he went a perfect 6-for-6, including two kicks from beyond 50 yards.
Notably, as the former Texas State kickoff specialist, Bates didn't actually kick a field goal since high school, but he has shown potential, demonstrating raw talent. With this in mind, during his time in the UFL, Bates played at the Lions stadium, Ford Field, so he is already a fan-favorite.
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