Detroit Lions Explain Details of How Kicker Decision Was Made

The Detroit Lions surprised many when they announced Saturday that they were elevating kicker Michael Badgley from the practice squad to the active roster for their Week 15 game against the Denver Broncos. 

However, those inside the organization knew that this was the result of a kicking competition lasting weeks between Badgley and Riley Patterson. Dating back to the Lions' win over the Chargers in Week 10, both players had been competing under the eyes of special teams coordinator Dave Fipp. 

Badgley had been consistently winning, and the Lions called him up in Week 15 as a result. 

The initial decision did not involve waiving Patterson. However, he became a roster casualty when the Lions needed to create a spot for quarterback Hendon Hooker returning from the non-football injury list. 

"What that did mean is, internally, we had those guys competing in practice. So they would each get roughly six kicks a day and we would kick them at least twice a week, so 12 kicks a week," Fipp explained. "Over the course of six weeks, Badgley had been better. We didn't want to rush to make that decision right away, we felt like he deserved as fair of an opportunity as we could've given him. But it was clear at the end of the day that he was playing better."

The choice came from Fipp's responsibility to play the best player at the position. With Badgley out performing Patterson in practice, he was viewed as the better option as the team looks toward the postseason.

"Ultimately, the way that I handle those decisions, my job is to really have the best interest of the whole team in mind, or the whole locker room and all the players sitting in that meeting," Fipp stated. "I have a responsibility to be fair to all of them by playing whoever we think is the best player. With a kicker, it's pretty clear. Makes and misses, percentages. And I do think practice matters, and I do think players trend towards what their practice stuff is." 

Patterson had been consistent for the Lions this season, making 15-of-17 field goal attempts and 35-of-37 extra points. However, he has a career-long of 52 and was 1-of-2 on attempts of 50-plus yards this season. 

His two missed extra points came in recent weeks, one on Thanksgiving and another in Week 14. With concerns about his range already mounting, the Lions elected to make the move ahead of Week 15.  

"I have a lot of comfort in Badgley, but the truth is I felt good about Riley too," Fipp said. "Dan and I were talking about it, but that Chargers kick, the game-winner, I had no doubt that he was gonna make that and that's really what he's been, a very effective kicker from short range. He's better than a lot of guys in this league kicking from shorter distances. As you get further and further, his numbers start to fall, as do everybody's but maybe his a little bit more than some in the league. When you do look at his numbers, he's got good numbers. I mean, he played well for us. It's definitely tough. But ultimately it was fairly clear to all of us, I think."

Badgley brings a level of familiarity to the Lions, having kicked for the organization last season. In 2022, he was 20-of-24 with a long of 53. Fipp expressed confidence in both Badgley's ability and his mentality. 

Because he is still on the practice squad, the Lions can elevate him for each of the next two games without having to add him to the active roster. However, he will have to be added beginning in Week 18.

"I feel very comfortable with Badgley. The one thing I love about him is that he's gonna swing at the ball the exact same way every single time," Fipp stated. "It doesn't matter if it's a 53-yarder or a 22-yarder, he's gonna approach the ball the same way every single time. He's very consistent and mentally, he really doesn't waver. Make, miss, he knows that he's gonna miss some, we all do. We hope not very many but he's very flat-line."