Honestly, if you looked at the Tim Patrick game log from three years ago, you probably thought his career was over. Most people did. In the NFL, "out of sight" usually means "out of the league," especially when you're a big-bodied receiver on the wrong side of 30 coming off back-to-back season-ending injuries.
But then 2024 happened.
The story of Tim Patrick isn't just about yardage totals or fantasy points; it’s about a guy who literally refused to stay retired. After tearing his ACL in 2022 and his Achilles in 2023, the Denver Broncos—the team he had spent his entire career with—cut him during the final roster trim in August 2024. Most veterans would’ve packed it in. Instead, Patrick signed with the Detroit Lions' practice squad and turned himself into a vital piece of one of the best offenses in football.
The 2024 Detroit Lions Revival
When Patrick arrived in Detroit, he wasn't supposed to be a starter. He was depth. An insurance policy. But the game log tells a different story of his 2024 campaign. By the time the season wrapped up, he had appeared in 16 regular-season games, making 9 starts.
You've gotta look at the efficiency to really appreciate what he did. He wasn't catching 10 balls a game, but when Jared Goff looked his way, it usually meant a first down or a score. He finished with 33 receptions for 394 yards and 3 touchdowns. That might not sound like Pro Bowl numbers, but for a WR3 playing behind Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams, it was massive.
Notable 2024 Game Highlights:
- Week 6 at Dallas: Patrick showed he still had the deep ball capability, snagging 3 catches for 68 yards, including a 42-yarder that silenced the Jerry World crowd.
- Week 12 at Indianapolis: A 4-catch, 55-yard performance where he consistently moved the chains on third down.
- Week 14 vs. Green Bay: This was the peak. Patrick caught 6 of 7 targets for 43 yards and 2 touchdowns. In a tight divisional race, he was the red-zone monster Detroit needed.
He basically became the "closer." If it was 3rd and 7, Goff wasn't always forcing it to St. Brown; he was looking for the 6-foot-4 frame of Patrick. It’s why Detroit re-signed him in March 2025 before eventually trading him to Jacksonville.
Transition to the 2025 Jacksonville Jaguars
The Tim Patrick game log took another turn in August 2025. The Lions, feeling good about their rookie Isaac TeSlaa, traded Patrick to the Jaguars for a 6th-round pick.
In Jacksonville, his role shifted. He became the veteran mentor in a room featuring Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter. While his raw stats dipped—15 catches for 187 yards and 3 touchdowns across 16 games—his presence in the red zone remained a constant.
Look at his Week 14 game against the Colts in December 2025. With Parker Washington out, Patrick stepped up and played 65% of the snaps, hauling in 5 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. It was a vintage "Fireman Tim" performance, putting out fires when the starters were down.
Why These Stats Matter for Fantasy and Reality
Most fans obsess over the 1,000-yard seasons, but coaches obsess over the Tim Patrick game log for a different reason: reliability.
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Patrick is the king of the "hidden" stat. In 2024, nearly 61% of his catches resulted in a first down. That’s absurd. It means he isn't just running fluff routes; he’s running the routes that win games.
There’s a misconception that he lost his speed after the Achilles injury. While he isn't a burner, his "game speed" remained intact. His average of 11.9 yards per catch in 2024 and 12.5 in 2025 proves he’s still a vertical threat, even if he’s doing it with savvy and positioning rather than raw 4.4 speed.
Career Breakdown by the Numbers:
- Denver Era (2018-2021): Established himself as a premier undrafted talent, peaking with 742 yards in 2020.
- The Dark Years (2022-2023): Zero games played. Two major surgeries.
- The Detroit Rebirth (2024): 16 games, 394 yards, proving the body could still hold up to NFL contact.
- The Jacksonville Depth Role (2025): 3 more touchdowns and a veteran presence for a playoff contender.
What Really Happened with his Usage?
If you're a fantasy manager, the Tim Patrick game log is frustrating. One week he has two touchdowns, the next he isn't targeted once. Why?
Basically, it's about the match-up. Patrick is a specialist. If a team is playing heavy man coverage with smaller corners, coaches like Dan Campbell or Doug Pederson will feed him. If the opponent is playing soft zone, he’s often used as a decoy to clear out space for the slot receivers.
His 2025 season with the Jags was particularly "swingy." He had a foot injury late in the year (Week 16) that limited him to just 18 snaps against his old team, the Broncos. He still managed to grab his lone target for 11 yards. That’s just who he is.
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you’re tracking Tim Patrick heading into the 2026 offseason, here’s how to weigh his value:
- Watch the Red Zone Snaps: Patrick’s value is almost entirely tied to his height and "box-out" ability. If he's not on the field inside the 20-yard line, his utility drops to zero.
- The "Veteran Waiver" Factor: Because he’s a vested veteran, he doesn't go through waivers. This makes him a prime candidate for teams to "cut" and "re-sign" to the practice squad for roster manipulation—something the Lions did effectively.
- Depth Over Volume: Don't expect a 100-target season ever again. His value is as a high-end WR4 who can start for three weeks if your star goes down.
The reality is that Tim Patrick beat the odds. He’s a sociology and human development grad from Utah who used that intelligence to reinvent his game when his legs betrayed him. Whether he’s in Jacksonville or a new home in 2026, the game log will continue to reflect a player who is simply too tough to quit.
Keep a close eye on his snap counts in the first two weeks of any season. If he’s over 40%, he’s a viable flex play in deep leagues. If he’s under 20%, he’s purely a "real life" asset helping his team win in ways that don't always show up in the box score.