Detroit Lions: Matt Prater Is NFL Feel-Good Story of 2016

Detroit Lions clutch kicker Matt Prater is having an exceptional year, which continues his feel-good story of second chances and redemption.

Detroit Lions’ kicker Matt Prater is having a season that not only teammates, coaches, and fans love, but he’s also making network executives drool. Should the Lions get into, and advance through, the playoffs, his story can be the fodder for those heartstring-tugging pregame segments.

This is because Prater is having an All-Pro type season, is nailing long-range kicks, and has been clutch in every big kick the last few seasons. It’s been quite a journey for a player that made a huge off-field mistake that cost him his job.

Challenging Road

More from Detroit Lions

Two seasons ago, Prater was suspended for the first four games of 2014 for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. This was less than a year after setting the NFL record for a 64-yard field goal while a member of the Denver Broncos on Dec. 8, 2013.

In the grand scheme of things, Prater’s offense wasn’t as great as some others. He didn’t beat his wife in an elevator and didn’t use performance-enhancement drugs. According to his attorney in an SBNation story, “he was drinking a couple of beers at home while on vacation.”

Nonetheless, Prater pledged to stay away from alcohol after a 2011 DUI. He broke the rules and paid the price. The reward for the kicker, considered to be one of the best in the league at the time, for serving out his suspension was to be released once it was over.

Return to Detroit

Prater found his way back to Detroit four days later. Some Detroit Lions‘ fans may not remember, but the 32-year-old veteran started his career with the Lions. Remember the days when the Lions would bring in a kicker as a camp body to reduce the workload of legendary Jason Hanson? Prater was that guy in 2006 after finishing his collegiate career with the University of Central Florida the previous fall.

The Lions were in desperate need of a kicker in the 2014 season, which was something strange for the team. From 1980 to 2012, the franchise had been remarkably consistent with placekickers. Aside from a couple of games missed due to injury, there have been just two kickers, Eddie Murray (1980-1991) and Hanson (1992-2012).

When Hanson retired, the team turned to David Akers in 2013, which was a disaster. They drafted Nate Freese in 2014, quickly replacing the ineffective rookie with Alex Henery, who was also terrible.

Beginning of Mr. Clutch

In stepped Prater, who was awful at first. This was likely due to rust from no game action for nearly 10 months. Two weeks into his tenure, he got it into gear in time to kick a game-winning, walk-off, 43-yard field goal to complete an improbable Detroit Lions’ comeback over the Atlanta Falcons in London.

Aside from missing a couple extra points, which has been very common in the NFL this year, Prater has been nearly perfect, hitting 28 of 31 field goals, with a long of 58 yards. He’s nailed game-tying or winning kicks against Indianapolis and Minnesota twice this year. This is just part of remaining perfect in 4th quarter/OT kicks that have given his team the lead or a tie.

Prater has been rewarded for his efforts. He’s won the NFL Special Teams Player of the Week Award three of the last four weeks, including for Week 13 when he went 5-for-5 on kicks. He accounted for eight more points in Detroit’s 20-17 win over Chicago on Sunday. While he didn’t figure prominently in the game, he did kick a 54-yarder, second longest of his season. He’s now 5-for-5 from 50+ this season. As Zac Snyder points out, he could break Hanson’s team record for points (134 in 2012).

There’s not more you can ask of your kicker than what Prater has provided since he arrived in Detroit, as observed below with @DetLionBlood’s highlight reel. He’s now proven that he’s an exceptional kicker, not just a beneficiary of Denver’s thin air.

Second Chances

Our society is big on offering second chances. It hasn’t always worked, especially for the Detroit Lions (paging Titus Young and Charles Rogers), but in the case of Matt Prater, it’s been a huge part of the team’s success.

In the Mt. Rushmore of Detroit Lions’ kickers, Prater has all but etched his face along with Murray and Hanson in a very short time.

Home/Detroit Lions