Lions' Michael Badgley named NFC Special Teams Player of Week: 'He's been great for us'

Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
·2 min read
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Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after making four field goals in a 40-14 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Badgley hit kicks of 45, 47, 38 and 44 yards and made all four of his extra points to outscore the Jaguars, 16-14.

Signed as a free agent in early October, Badgley has stabilized a kicking game that was a problem area for the Lions early this season.

Lions placekicker Michael Badgley kicks a field goal during the first half against the Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Detroit.
Lions placekicker Michael Badgley kicks a field goal during the first half against the Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Detroit.

Austin Seibert opened the season as Lions kicker, but missed two field goals, including a key 54-yard attempt, in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He underwent groin surgery in October, and his replacement, Dominik Eberle, missed two extra points and sent a kickoff out of bounds in a Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

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Badgley went 4-for-4 on field goals in a one-game appearance with the Chicago Bears, then signed with the Lions the following week. He's made 11 of 12 field goals in eight games with the Lions, with his lone miss coming from 29 yards in a Thanksgiving loss to the Buffalo Bills.

"He’s been great for us," Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said last week. "I got no reservations about him going forward or any of that stuff. He’s very consistent, calm."

Badgley is the fourth Lion to win an NFC player of the week award this season.

Amon-Ra St. Brown was NFC Offensive Player of the Week after catching nine passes for 116 yards and two touchdowns and running for 68 yards in a Week 2 win over the Washington Commanders. Rookies Kerby Joseph and Aidan Hutchinson were NFC Defensive Players of the Week in Week 9 and Week 11.

Joseph had two interceptions in a win over the Green Bay Packers, while Hutchinson intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble against the New York Giants. Hutchinson also was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for November.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' Michael Badgley is NFC Special Teams Player of the Week