Lions Kicker Michael Badgley Out For Season Due To Torn Hamstring

The Detroit Lions received bad news as kicker Michael Badgley tore his hamstring during last Thursday’s practice, sidelining him for all of the 2024 season. Coach Dan Campbell said that Badgley will be placed on injured reserve and is expected to have surgery.

“We feel awful for Badge,” Campbell said. “He worked his tail off to get ready for this season. He was having a good spring and was ready for camp, it’s tough.”

Badgley spent his college career with the Miami Hurricanes before joining the Colts’ practice squad in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. During his Hurricanes career, the kicker made 96.1 percent of PATs while converting 79.4 percent of field goal attempts. Indianapolis released Badgley before the 2018 season, later picked up by the Chargers where he was 15 for 16 on field goals and 27 for 28 on point after tries. Badgley would flip between the Titans and Colts before landing in Detroit for 2023.

The former Hurricanes’ kicker was 56 for 58 on field goal attempts from inside the 40 in 2023 – he also won NFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 13 last season.

Ex-UFL kicker Jake Bates will take responsibility for being the team’s kicker for 2024 after Badgley’s injury. Bates was 17 for 22 on field goal tries when playing for the St. Louis Battlehawks last spring. However, Bates will have to earn the role as the Lions intend to find a replacement after they held a workout looking for another kicker. “If we find the right guy that helps us for competition, then we’ll add them,” Coach Campbell remarked.

Article by Christian Bongiorno