Riley Patterson
Detroit kicker Riley Patterson will return to the field for the Lions on Sept. 7, which is also his 24th birthday. Despite a high-pressure job and several team switches, Patterson said his faith in God gives him “a much greater purpose” than football. Last season, a Jacksonville Jaguars teammate described Patterson as “an unbelievable man of faith” and “very kind.”
In 2020, while kicking for the University of Memphis, Patterson said on the Sports Spectrum podcast that his faith gives his life stability. “Having a constant relationship with God, that’s the salvation that I have,” he said. “Football is not the biggest thing in my life. It may seem like that from your friends and from your family, but there is a much greater purpose that I have in my life than just being a kicker.” Patterson became a Christian while in high school and called that event a life-changing moment.
