We've Made Exact Right Call: Lions Address Kicking Carousel

Detroit Lions special teams coordinator Dave Fipp addresses the kicking carousel.

Since the decision was made not to retain kicker Matt Prater, the Detroit Lions' special teams unit has gone through 10 different kickers. 

When asked about what has contributed to the apparent kicking carousel taking place in Motown, special teams coordinator Dave Fipp offered a lengthy response in defense of the team's decision-making process.  

While not including the entire 900-word, five-minute response, Detroit's special teams coordinator still believes that when all is said and done, the kicking situation will settle down and not be as big of a focal point as it has been the past couple of years. 

"I would say personally, in my opinion, I think we've made the exact right call the whole way," Fipp explained. "Would we like a different outcome? Oh yeah. Would we like to hit on the next All-Pro kicker, but it doesn't always turn out that way. 

"We'll see what happens. I would tell you that I strongly believe that it will settle down. We'll look back at this thing at the end of the year, and say, 'You know what, we got good production out of that position.' So, it's still early in the year when you look at percentages right now. ... It's been a challenge. It's not been ideal, but I think we're on the right track and we'll keep working through it. People aren't throwing out good players."

Special teams coordinator Dave Fipp was asked about the Lions going through 10 kickers since last year. He had *a lot* to say. pic.twitter.com/x59R7DGHnF

— kyle meinke (@kmeinke) October 20, 2022

© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

Not kicking a field goal on fourth-and-9 against Patriots 

After recently moving on from Riley Patterson and Austin Seibert, the team has settled on two kickers who currently reside on the team's practice squad: Michael Badgley and Sam Ficken. 

A decision made by the coaching staff against the Patriots has drawn heavy scrutiny over the past several days. 

After not kicking an approximate 50-yarder while trailing, 6-0, the Patriots scored a defensive touchdown, strip-sacking Lions quarterback Jared Goff and returning a fumble to extend their lead to 13-0. 

Fipp addressed the emerging narrative being discussed regarding the team not trusting its new kicker to make a 50-yarder. 

"Should an NFL kicker be able to make a 50-yard kick? No question about it. That being said, does that mean he's going to make it 100% of the time? Well, that's a different story," Fipp said. "So, I would say every game is different. Every field is different, Every stadium is different. 

"All the conditions are different. I think like in that game, truth be told, if you listen to Belichick's press conference after that game, he said, 'Yeah, the wind was quite a factor in that game and our decision-making process.'"