The strong season for Lions kicker Jake Bates added another notch Thursday. The NFL named their monthly top players for November and Bates was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Month.
In five games during the month of November, Bates converted 8-of-9 field goals and was a perfect 17-for-17 in extra points, including 7-for-7 in Detroit’s 52-6 blowout win against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11.
Bates is the first Lions kicker to win a Player of the Month award since Matt Prater in 2017 — only Bates, Prater and Jason Hanson have ever won the award as a Lion — and his win gives the Lions three Player of the Month wins this season. It’s also the first time in franchise history the Lions scored a Player of the Month winner on offense, defense and special teams.
Aidan Hutchinson was the Defensive Player of the Month for September and Jared Goff won the offensive award in October.
.@Lions K Jake Bates has been named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month for November.
He’s the first Lions kicker to win a POTM Award since Matt Prater in September of 2017.
He joins Prater (2) & Jason Hanson (5) as the only Lions kickers to win the award.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/FXGd6h5Sdm
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) December 5, 2024