The Detroit Lions have resigned wide receiver Tim Patrick to a one-year deal worth up to four million dollars. Patrick’s inspiring 2024 season made him a strong candidate for the Comeback Player of the Year award, and he went on to finish sixth in the voting. Patrick, a 31-year-old big-bodied receiver out of Utah, is no stranger to adversity and has become a model of perseverance.
Patrick went undrafted in 2017 and was signed and cut by both the Ravens and the 49ers during the preseason. He signed with the Broncos but didn’t make it onto the active roster during his rookie season. In 2018 and 2019, he played a limited role and missed 8 games with a broken hand.
Finally, everything came together for a breakout season in 2020, and after a solid follow-up campaign in 2021, Patrick was awarded a three-year, 34.5-million-dollar contract extension.
During a preseason practice, Patrick tore his ACL. He was placed on injured reserve and missed the entirety of the 2022 NFL season. He worked his way back from that injury and seemed poised to return to form in 2023. In the following year, Patrick suffered another serious injury during a preseason practice.
He tore his Achilles tendon and was again shut down for the year. The Broncos cut ties with Patrick during the 2024 preseason, and after two gruesome injuries, many speculated that his career was over.
On August 27th, 2024, Patrick was signed to the Lions’ practice squad. It was an excellent fit for both the team and Patrick. His grit epitomizes the Lions’ culture, and they had a massive need for a big-bodied X receiver to replace Josh Reynolds, who was lost during free agency that offseason.
This made his route to the active roster more likely, but it was still a long shot because he had plenty of competition from fellow veterans Allen Robinson and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
After just 2 weeks on the practice squad, Patrick was called up to the Lions’ active roster and saw his first NFL action in nearly 1000 days. He made a small but immediate impact, catching two passes, one for a drive-extending first down. The highlight of Patrick’s season came in the Lions’ Week 13 win against the Packers when he caught six passes for 43 yards and two TDs.
Those were his first TDs since the 2021 season, and it was an emotional moment for Patrick, his teammates, and the fans. It was heartwarming to see him succeed after overcoming such devastating setbacks.
Patrick was free to sign with any team this offseason, but he had no intentions of playing anywhere else. Patrick took to Instagram to say, “I only want to work with the Lions.”
The Lions felt the same way about working together as a team, and Patrick’s agent agreed to a one-year deal early in the free agency period. Although it is only a one-year deal, this is commonplace among veterans over 30.
Patrick will enter the year with his roster spot and role secure, and he should continue to be a key contributor to the Lions’ success in 2025. Let’s hope that the bulk of the adversity Patrick will face is a thing of the past.
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