Jake Bates Delivers Again as Lions Claim Third Straight NFC Special Teams Award
Detroit’s special teams unit is on a RUN right now.
Jake Bates is the latest Lion to win NFC Special Teams Player of the Week — and that makes it THREE straight Lions to win it.
The run:
1. Week 7 — D.J. Wonnum — Game-saving blocked field goal vs the Packers 2. Week 8 — Jack Fox — 3 punts downed inside the 20 vs the Vikings 3. Week 9 — Jake Bates — 4-for-4 vs the Dolphins
Bates was perfect in Miami. 28, 40, 33, and 43 yards. Plus his lone extra point. That’s 13 of Detroit’s 19 points in the 19-9 win.
In a game where the offense couldn’t get going against a Dolphins defense that really brought it, Bates was the difference.
This is also a comeback story. After a down 2025 season, Bates worked all offseason on starting one yard closer to the ball on his approach. It’s made all the difference.
His only miss this season? The one where he literally kicked holder Jack Fox’s hand in Week 8 and hit the left upright. Without that fluke, he’d be perfect through 8 games.
And now this is his 3rd career Player of the Week award — joining Jason Hanson (12) and Matt Prater (7) as the only Lions kickers to ever win it 3 times.
Can Detroit make it FOUR straight in Week 10 in Germany vs the Patriots?
Drop a 🔥 if Bates is automatic right now.
Mabel Joshua is the founder and lead editor of CelebrityTale.com with 4+ years covering celebrity news, entertainment trends and pop culture. She curates breaking stories with verified sources, focusing on real-time updates from Hollywood, music and lifestyle. When not reporting, she tracks emerging talents and viral moments across social platforms.
