Back to the Detroit Lions Newsfeed

How the UFL propelled Lions kicker Jake Bates to NFL success

DETROIT -- Dave Fipp received a random text message on Saturday, March 30, 2024.

"Hey man, did you see that kick?" a friend wrote.

Fipp hadn't. But the Detroit Lions special teams coordinator didn't take long to find a clip.

The kick happened at Ford Field, the home of the Lions, in the Michigan Panthers' 2024 UFL season opener against the St. Louis Battlehawks.