Detroit Lions kicker Michael Badgley has sustained a severe injury that will sideline him for the entirety of the 2024 NFL season. On Thursday, Badgley suffered a significant setback while preparing for practice, as confirmed by Lions head coach Dan Campbell during a Friday press conference.
Campbell revealed that Badgley will require surgery due to a torn hamstring, according to information from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
At the beginning of last season, Badgley was a member of the Lions’ practice squad. The 28-year-old kicker was elevated to the active roster in December after Riley Patterson, the team’s starting kicker at the time, struggled with accuracy, missing two extra points in three games.
In his four regular-season appearances with the Lions, Badgley demonstrated reliability, making all four of his field-goal attempts and successfully converting 11 out of 13 extra-point tries. His performance earned him a spot as the team’s kicker for the playoffs, where he continued to excel.
Badgley made all three of his field-goal attempts during the postseason, including a critical 54-yard field goal in Detroit’s narrow 24-23 victory over the Los Angeles Rams in the Wild Card round. He also completed all 11 of his extra-point attempts throughout the playoffs.
With Badgley’s injury now confirmed, the Lions are expected to conduct workouts for potential replacement kickers in the near future to address the vacancy.