Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates helped his team beat the New York Giants on Sunday with a clutch field goal at the end of regulation, and there wasn’t a single person watching the play who thought the ball was going to sail through the uprights.
Bates forced overtime with a 59-yard kick to tie the game with 28 seconds remaining in the Lions’ 34-27 win over the Giants at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. When the kick first came off Bates’ foot, it looked like he had pushed it and it was going to miss badly right.
Most fans momentarily thought the Giants had pulled off the improbable upset, but the kick somehow curled back to the left and snuck inside the right upright. The ball also just barely made it over the crossbar.
Another look at the game-tying 59-yard field goal from Jake Bates 🤯 pic.twitter.com/AmGEfWZXTf
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 23, 2025
The Giants were leading for much of the game despite being a nearly two-touchdown underdog. Their defense collapsed down the stretch, which has become a common theme for them this season. It also led to a coaching change after the game.
Bates made 89.7% of his field goal attempts as a rookie last season. He has had some uncharacteristic misses this year, but he is 6/6 in Detroit’s last three games. None of his kicks were more clutch than the one that seemed to have “miss” written all over it against the Giants.