Getty Matt Prater makes a kick against Minnesota.
Matt Prater has a chance to quench the thirst of Detroit Lions fans during the 2020 season, and that’s just what the kicker is planning to do when all is said and done.
Speaking with the media during training camp, Prater was asked his confidence in hitting a long field goal over 60 yards to win a competition. It shouldn’t be a problem as far as Prater is concerned, as he thinks all he needs is a chance in order to take a swing.
On Zoom call with Matt Prater. He’s 36 and entering his 14th season. He said he can still hit a FG from 65yds just a matter of getting the opportunity to do so. #Lions
Prater already holds the record for longest field goal in the league, so with this in mind, the king has officially spoken on the matter. All that Prater has left to do is hold up his end of the bargain for Detroit fans everywhere.
Matt Prater’s Bud Light Contest Revealed
This season, Prater and Denver Broncos kicker Brandon McManus will face off with the promise of free beer from Bud Light on the line. If Prater hits the longest of the pair, Detroit will cash in free beer. If McManus gets the job done, Denver will get the prize.
Credit goes out to the Pat McAfee Show for setting this whole thing in motion. The original offer was free beer for Denver if McManus broke Prater’s record for a 64 yard field goal as longest in NFL history, but as McAfee said, Prater needed his chance to answer given he is the current record holder. The show had originally propositioned Coors Light to offer Detroit free beer if the Lions got into the playoffs, but with this friendly competition, Bud Light managed to spice things up even more. Fans will be able to keep up week to week to see who is ahead while rooting for their guy.
As for who has the edge, it’s tough to say. McManus has the thin air of the Rocky Mountains to help aid him and his strong leg, and Prater has already used that to his benefit in his career. Prater, however, kicks the majority of games in a dome, which can allow for some extra length and consistency.
Regardless, beer loving Lions fans will have a major reason to root for Prater this season. He might not only win their favorite team a game, but quench their thirst as well.
Matt Prater Has NFL Record for Long Field Goals
Looking for a reason to feel optimistic about Prater? He’s already the most consistent long kicker in the NFL. By virtue of a very strong week last season which saw him hit multiple bombs from beyond 50 yards, Prater became just the second kicker to hit 50 field goals from 50 yards or more in his career. The other? None other than Sebastian Janikowski, formally of the Oakland Raiders and a guy with a strong and bionic leg himself.
The crazy, record matching stat was brought up by the Lions PR Twitter account, who showed it off following a very strong week of kicking from Prater.
K @MattPrater_5 has joined Sebastian Janikowski & Jason Hanson as the only kickers in @NFL history to make at least 50 field goals of 50+ yards 🙌
Once again, Prater is on the right side of some huge history in terms of his place in the league, and this is something the Lions and their fans can truly be proud of.
Matt Prater’s Longest Field Goal
Not only does Prater have this new record from 2019 under his belt, he also has the longest field goal in NFL history to his credit. While with the Denver Broncos, Prater boomed the 64 yard kick, which still stands today as one of the most iconic kicks in the game given its distance and difficulty even in the thin air of Denver.
By the time he is finished, it’s likely Prater is going to hold several other honors in terms of his history in the game given his consistency kicking the football. When all is said and done, he could be a candidate to go into the Hall of Fame and might be one of the most decorated kickers that is still going in terms of the game today.
Prater also has something which plenty of NFL kickers don’t have, and that’s a touchdown pass to his credit, which he picked up last season in Green Bay. Add it all up and it’s clear that Prater is also one of the most fascinating kickers in the NFL in addition to one of the best.
Matt Prater Career Stats
Prater isn’t likely to slow down. Though the crash for kickers tends to be abrupt, he has shown no signs of hitting a wall whatsoever. At age 35, Prater could just be getting started in terms of making an impact on the game given what he has already done. At 83.4%, Prater is one of the more consistent kickers the game has to this day in terms of sheer accuracy and ability to make clutch, game winning kicks. He’s also been consistent in terms of extra points, even as the league has changed how that play works and has attempted to make it more difficult on kickers in order to make the game more exiting.
Prater continues to play big for the Lions, and this season, has a chance to hit a kick of great consequence for his team. As he said, all he thinks he needs is a chance.
READ NEXT: ESPN Predicts Lions Make History in 2020
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Lions’ Matt Prater Confident He’ll Win Bud Light Contest