DETROIT -- One day after Jason Hanson retired, the Lions found his replacement. David Akers agreed to terms with the Lions on Friday to replace Hanson, who announced he was stepping away from the game Thursday after 21 seasons.
Akers, 38, is coming off a down year in which he missed 13 of 42 field-goal attempts, but he's a six-time Pro Bowl selection who struggled through a hip injury most of the season.
When healthy at the beginning of last year, he tied an NFL record with a 63-yard field goal in a season-opening win over the Packers.
Akers, who was released by the 49ers last month, visited the Lions on Tuesday.
Hanson, 42, said earlier this off-season he wanted to play at least one more year in Detroit, but the unrestricted free agent couldn't come to a contract agreement with the Lions, prompting his retirement. He had been slow to recover from a heel injury he suffered last season.
Akers, who spent most of his 15 NFL seasons with the Eagles, has made 81 percent of his field goals for his career.
The Lions have had the most stable kicking position in the NFL the last three decades, using two primary kickers for more than 30 years. Eddie Murray handled the kicking duties in 1980-91, before Hanson replaced him as a second-round pick in 1992.
• Read more articles by DAVE BIRKETT
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