By Michael Stets
The Detroit Lions have signed kicker Matt Prater to a three-year contract extension, the team announced on Wednesday.
The deal is worth $11.4 million with a $3.6 million signing bonus, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who was first to report the news on Wednesday morning.
“Matt is among the best kickers in the National Football League and has proven that time and time again since coming to Detroit in 2014,” Lions executive vice president and general manager Bob Quinn said in a statement released by the team. “This extension solidifies our kicking game through 2020. I would like to thank Matt and his representatives for their work on getting this contract extension completed.”
Prater, 33, who signed with the Lions in October of the 2014 season, has been clutch and consistent throughout his tenure in Detroit, especially from long distance. With four field goals from beyond 50 yards in the first six games of this season, Prater has now hit 19 field goals from 50 yards or longer since joining the Lions, including the longest field goal in franchise history, a 59-yarder against the Chicago Bears in the final game of the 2015 regular season.
Prior to Detroit, Prater spent seven seasons with the Denver Broncos, where he hit longest field goal of his career and longest in NFL history, a 64-yarder against the Tennessee Titans in 2013. He was released by the Broncos in October of 2014 after serving a four-game suspension for testing positive for alcohol, which was prohibited for him by the NFL due to his 2011 arrest for DUI.
Last season, Prater made all nine of his attempts from 50 yards or more. His longest came during a Week 9 matchup against the Minnesota Vikings when his 58-yard field goal sent the game–which the Lions eventually won 22-16–into overtime.
This season, Prater is 10 of 12, with the two misses coming from 56 and 59 yards. He has now made 84 of 98 field goals as a Lion, making 85.7 percent of his attempts. In September, Prater was named the NFC Special Teams Player of the Month and has also earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Week honors twice this season.