Jake Bates’ Patient Path to Peak | NFL News

0:00It's September 11th. I'm Corey with The Story. This is NFL News Today, driven by AI and built for football fans. So Jake Bates, the Lions Kicker, has been getting some attention after missing a couple of extra points in preseason. It's easy for folks to focus on that, but the team's special teams coach, Dave Fipp, is saying they're taking a patient route with him. When you look at his regular season stats, Bates has only missed three kicks under 50 yards in the NFL. This shows he's got a strong leg, and the organization seems to recognize that potential. Coach Fipp mentioned that it often takes kickers a few years to really hit their stride and fully develop in the league. He thinks someone with Bates talent, who's known for having one of the strongest legs he's seen, might need until his fifth or sixth year to reach his peak performance. So the Lions are committed to giving him that time. With the regular season about to kick off, we'll all be watching to see how he performs. For now, the coaching staff is standing behind him, and he's set to be the primary kicker

1:03for the Detroit Lions this upcoming season.