Just call him the comeback kid.
Having returned from back-to-back lost seasons due to devastating injuries, Tim Patrick's number was fittingly called when the Detroit Lions were battling back.
Patrick, who hadn't scored a touchdown in 1,082 days, tallied two go-ahead TDs in the second half to help the Lions to a thrilling 34-31 playoff-clinching triumph over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night.
"The journey was long, but it was worth it, and it made me the man I am today, and it brought me here to Detroit," said Patrick, who's overcome ACL and Achilles tears on his way to making it to the playoffs for the first time in his career. "I've won the most games I've ever won in my career, just had a two-touchdown performance on Thursday Night Football, I've got like 30 reporters in front of me right now, I'm just very blessed and thankful for this team."
The 31-year-old Patrick finished his storybook night with six catches for 43 yards and just the second two-TD day of his career.
It was a win that had Lions head coach Dan Campbell smiling and praising his pride for how it has responded to injuries and exemplified perseverance.
In many ways, it was a game symbolic of Patrick's recent NFL journey, which hadn't seen a touchdown since Week 15 of the 2021 season with the Denver Broncos.
"Today seemed like his day, down there certainly in the red zone," said Lions quarterback Jared Goff, who went out of his way to make sure Patrick got the ball from his first TD. "And he's been so consistent since he got here as far as unselfish, blocks, does everything right, and he hasn't gotten a touchdown. What week are we in, 14, 15, whatever it is? Hasn't gotten a touchdown 'til today, and had two of them. And he deserves it, man, he's a stud, and I'm so happy he's on our team."
An undrafted free agent who began his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers franchises, Patrick eventually made his way to the Broncos. He was with the Broncos from 2017 through this past offseason, playing his first official NFL game in 2018. He worked his way into becoming a starter, posting back-to-back 700-yard receiving seasons in 2020 and 2021.
He had made it. And then disaster struck in the form of a torn ACL suffered in training camp ahead of a 2022 season he would miss in full. Patrick healed up and came back only to tear his Achilles in camp before a 2023 campaign he would also never play a down in.
This year, Patrick made it through training camp and turned in a promising preseason, seemingly building a rapport on the field with rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Nonetheless, his career took another hit when he was released by the Broncos. He quickly landed in Detroit as a signee to the team's practice squad.
"What a great addition he's been, and he just continues to make plays for us in the run game and in the pass game," Campbell said. "Stepped up big here. Man, we talk about catching a knife, like you make the catch, turn, and run. Catch it, tuck it, turn and run. If you can only get five, you've got to get us six. If you can only get seven, you've got to get us eight. And man, he did it that multiple times, and he comes up with the two big touchdowns for us. He's been an unbelievable addition, what a stud."
Heading into Thursday night, Patrick had seen action in 11 of Detroit's first 12 games with five starts, 21 receptions and 306 yards. The end zone had eluded him, though.
That all changed in the third quarter when the Lions were suddenly trailing for the first time all evening, 21-17. Facing fourth-and-goal, Campbell went for it and Patrick picked him up, hauling in a 3-yard laser from Goff for six.
Green Bay answered with a long scoring drive to retake the lead, but the Goff-Patrick connection wasn't done.
Patrick hauled in his second touchdown on a 1-yard grab over the middle.
Detroit had forged a 31-28 lead that Green Bay eventually matched before Jake Bates kicked the game-winner with no time left.
It was Patrick's scores that kept the Lions going in the back-and-forth saga, though.
Patrick has now come back from two season-robbing injuries. Patrick has now broken his scoreless drought with two go-ahead scores.
Call him the comeback kid.
Call him two-comeback Tim.
But it's clear that the Lions will be calling Patrick's number as they continue their quest for the franchise's first Super Bowl.
"The game plan was to win, and that's what we did, obviously," Patrick said. "It just fell my way today. We've won in so many different ways, and we just showed tonight there's another way to win, and all I've got to do is give thanks to the Lions, our receivers, because those other four guys, they get so much attention I got one-on-ones, and all I've got to do is win."
