National Football League

Humbled Prater joins Lions at perfect time

Published Oct. 8, 2014 3:03 p.m. ET

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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions appear to be getting Matt Prater at a perfect time.

Prater has been humbled. After getting suspended for violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, Prater said he voluntarily entered a rehab center. He said he's been clean for 1 1/2 months.

"Sometimes you've got to get knocked down to learn the hard way," Prater said Wednesday before practicing with his new team. "I'm thankful I have a second chance here, (to) learn from all the mistakes I've made in the past. I'm not going to let them down."

Prater, 30, was signed Tuesday by the Lions after a meeting with coach Jim Caldwell that lasted nearly an hour to discuss his past off-the-field issues, followed by a tryout in which he made a long field goal of 58 yards.

The Lions need a reliable kicker in the worst way. They've already released two kickers -- Nate Freese and Alex Henery -- who combined to miss eight of their 12 field-goal attempts over the first five weeks.

An upset loss at home last Sunday to Buffalo came down to three missed field goals.

When Prater is right, he's one of the best kickers in the NFL. He made 81.6 percent of his field goal attempts in six years with the Denver Broncos, was selected to the Pro Bowl team last season and kicked the longest field goal in NFL history, 64 yards, albeit in the high altitude.

"He's got a canon," Lions punter/holder Sam Martin said. "His resume speaks for itself. We're getting one of the best. It definitely is a morale booster."

Prater got released by the Broncos last week while he was serving a four-game suspension for testing positive for alcohol, which the league prohibited following his previous DUI arrest.

The Broncos found a younger, less expensive reliable kicker in the process, and that made Prater expendable.

The timing couldn't have worked out better for the Lions.

"I am one who believes in second chances," Caldwell said. "I've had a few second chances in my life and they made a tremendous difference. I think the young man is sincere."

Asked whether he had sought the insight of one of his former players, Peyton Manning, who was teammates with Prater in Denver, Caldwell said with a sly grin, "He (Prater) was properly vetted."

Prater sounded quite honest about his shortcomings while meeting with the media for the first time in the Lions' locker room early Wednesday afternoon.

He said he didn't follow the Lions' kicking situation very closely in recent weeks, or football at all for that matter.

He was dealing with more important issues.

"I was just trying to work on myself as a person," Prater said. "I was down in a center (in Naples, Fla.) for a 12-step program for alcohol, just trying to take it a day at a time.

"It was voluntary. I wasn't forced. It was just something I thought I should do. It helped me out a lot."

Prater said he will continue to be randomly tested, per league rules, once or twice a week.

It's a zero-tolerance policy in his case. He's not allowed to drink any alcohol, even a beer, even at home.

He said he's learned that his drinking problems have been mostly triggered by being in "social settings" in the past.

"I think coming to a new city will be good because I'm not familiar with a lot of places," Prater said. "Coming here I'll just try to stay out of bar-type places, be more of a homebody type."

Prater's journey actually has come full circle. The first training camp he participated in as an undrafted player coming out of Central Florida was with the Lions in 2006.

He had zero chance to make the team that year because of a guy named Jason Hanson, but the experience was valuable nonetheless.

"I learned a lot in the few months I was here with him," Prater said. "He's the best kicker I've ever been around."

Prater went on to win the full-time job with the Broncos two years later and then emerged as one of the league's most consistent legs.

He's made a total of 142 of his 174 field-goal attempts, including 21-of-27 from 50+ yards.

In last season's AFC championship game, Prater was a perfect 4-for-4 in a 26-16 victory over New England to help send the Broncos to the Super Bowl.

Along the way, there have been some ups and downs, but Prater seems determined to fight through the temptations.

Day by day, kick by kick.

"I'm doing good," he said. "A month and a half now (without a drink). Just taking it a day at a time."

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