Matt Prater Discusses Struggles With Alcohol, Says He Will Not Let Lions Down
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - When new Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater walked to his locker Wednesday, he acted surprised to see a crowd of reporters gathered around.
"You guys actually want to talk to a kicker?" Prater quipped.
The media session quickly became more serious. Prater has just finished a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, and he said he had not been paying attention to the situation of Detroit's kicking game, where the past two kickers have combined to make only 4 of 12 this season.
"When I was suspended, I was just kind of staying away from football in general and trying to just work on myself as a person," Prater said. "I was down in a center in a 12-step program for alcohol, just trying to take it a day at a time. Sometimes you've got to get knocked down and learn the hard way with life. I'm thankful that I have a second chance here and learn from all the mistakes I've made in the past and will not repeat them."
Prater said the time he spent at Hazelden, an addiction treatment center in Naples, Fla., was voluntary, something he and his family thought would be good for him. He said he indeed found his stay there helpful.
"There's certain triggers that people have, and for me, a lot of it's settings, social settings, and just staying out of certain places for me, and I think coming to a new city would be good because I'm not familiar with a lot of places," Prater said. "In Denver I was familiar with certain places with drinking, and coming here I'll just try to stay out of bar-type places, more of a homebody type once I figure out where I'm going to live."
The Denver Broncos cut Prater before he returned from the suspension, and Prater said he received interest from five or six other teams, but he made Detroit his first stop, and he said it seemed the best fit, mentioning head coach Jim Caldwell.
"That was the first thing I did when I got here was I came and met with Coach Caldwell, and we talked about some of my past issues for probably close to an hour," Prater said, "and then once that was over with, we came out and kicked."
Caldwell would not provide specifics about his talk with Prater, but he said he believes in second chances.
"I've had a few second chances in my life, and it made a tremendous difference, and maybe some of you experienced some of the same things," Caldwell said. "I do think the young man is sincere, and it wasn't just the hour-long conversation. We vetted him thoroughly a number of different ways like we typically do in those situations. [General manager] Martin [Mayhew] did a great job with that and scouting staff as well, so there's a lot of guys involved in that process."
Prater said the Lions called Sunday night to invite him to work out, so he flew to Detroit and worked out Monday. He said he hit 12 to 15 field goals to warm up and then kicked 15 or 20 for coaches. The farthest kick, he said, was from 58 yards out. Prater already has the record for the longest field goal in NFL history - 64 yards - and will now be kicking in a dome when the Lions play at home.
"Whatever they send me out to kick, I expect to make," Prater said. "I haven't tested the range out yet, but whatever they send me out to do, I expect to make it."
Prater made 25 of 26 kicks for Denver last season.
"Everybody knows who Prater is," punter Sam Martin said. "His resume speaks for itself, so everyone knows what we're getting from him, and it definitely is I'd say a morale booster at the position. We're getting a Pro Bowl kicker just one year out."
Prater's abilities on the field, of course, have not been questioned. As far as his alcohol problem, Prater said he has not had a drink in more than a month and a half, and he will undergo random weekly tests for alcohol, just as he was doing when he tested positive and was given a suspension.
"It's a zero [tolerance] policy, so I can't drink a beer at all," Prater said, "so that's what I have to do is not drink at all.
"They're putting a lot of trust in me, so I have to hold myself accountable," Prater added. "I'm very fortunate and thankful that they gave me an opportunity and they're treating me like a professional, and I won't let them down."