The Lions have an extensive roster of playmakers on offense, and several have emerged at various times to help the team to a 12-1 record and a playoff berth this season.

Wide receiver Tim Patrick got his chance to be added to this list on Thursday night, and he might be the most unlikely addition of all. Patrick missed the past two seasons after suffering a torn ACL and torn Achilles tendon in back-to-back summers with the Broncos, then joined the Lions practice squad after suffering a cut this summer. Patrick carved out a role and earned a spot on the 53-man roster, but didn’t make it back to the end zone for the first time since 2021 until Thursday.

Patrick liked it so much he did it twice. He scored in the third and fourth quarters of the 34-31 win and said in the locker room after the game that it wasn’t planned for him to be introduced, but that “it just came to me” and that he was enjoying it what it took to get to this point.

“The journey was long, but it was worth it and made me the man I am today,” Patrick said. “It brought me here to Detroit. I won the most games I’ve ever won in my career and only had a two-touchdown performance Football on Thursday evenings. I have about 30 reporters in front of me right now, I’m just very blessed and grateful.”

Things could turn out differently in the coming weeks, but one big lesson from the Lions’ season so far is that they have no shortage of players ready to answer the call.