Detroit Lions special teams coach Dave Fipp is quite enamored with the team's place kicker.
Jake Bates, who went from a soccer player to a brick salesman, eventually worked his way to the Lions' roster after excelling in the United Football League.
In a feature story by The Athletic, the Lions coaching staff explained why the organization was willing to put aside his lack of NFL experience to develop him all throughout the 2024 season.
“I expect he’ll have ups and downs, but I also expect he’ll continue to get better and better,” Fipp explained. “I think he’s got a chance to be one of the best who ever played.”
Bates' faith was tested early, especially after a particularly poor training camp practice, but his competitive mindset and the coaching staff reinforcing that it is not expected he will be perfect, but to continue to correct any issues that result in wayward kicks.
“Love Bates,” head coach Dan Campbell says. “He’s wired the right way. He puts the work in. He’s mentally strong. When a mistake was made, he kept it simple and corrected the cause of it. He didn’t get lost in his own head.”
After some period of rest, Bates will work with Fipp during training camp to excel at the league's new dynamic kickoff, which encourages more returns.
With Bates improving steadily at pinpointing where his kickoffs will lands, the Lions are hoping to gain field-position advantages this upcoming season.
"He kicked that season (playing in the UFL), then he came back to our season, went through training camp, kicked that whole season. So, he had been kicking for a long, long time last year. I think him and his leg will get a bit of a chance to rest and recover this offseason," said Fipp. "It’ll be good for him. I’m excited for him. He looks great. I think the guy’s going to be a great player in this league."