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ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- Alex Henery started receiving text messages in his Omaha, Nebraska, home on Sunday afternoon. Nate Freese had missed another field goal for the Detroit Lions. His friends knew the out-of-work kicker had flown out to Michigan for a workout earlier in the week, so there was a chance Henery would once again be employed if something happened with Freese. So after another missed kick, that became more of a possibility. On Sunday night, Henery’s three-week unemployment stint ended as the Lions called and expressed interest in signing him to replace Freese. “It’s one of those things that happens,” Henery said. “I was glad to get a call.” Henery wasn’t sure exactly what would happen when he left Allen Park, Michigan, last week following a workout with the team along with Garrett Hartley and the late Rob Bironas. Henery felt he kicked well and said he made a 60-yard field goal during the tryout. But the Lions didn’t give him much of an indication, although he said he felt the Lions wanted to see how Freese would respond last Sunday. Once Freese missed that kick -- combined with Detroit coach Jim Caldwell’s postgame response that they would once again evaluate the position -- sealed Freese’s fate with the Lions and opened up a job. Henery, who played with Ndamukong Suh at Nebraska, said he kicked field goals and punted in college. Then, with the Philadelphia Eagles, he kicked field goals and handled kickoffs and made 74 of 86 field goals in his three years with Philadelphia. In Detroit, he said he has been told he’ll only handle field goals since the team has Sam Martin to handle punts and kickoffs -- as well as being Henery’s holder. So, Henery got on a plane from Nebraska to Michigan on Monday morning and now rejoins the NFL workforce once again. “Excited to get out here,” Henery said. “And get underway.”
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