Lions Insider

Watch closely the first time Lions veteran kick returner Justin Miller catches the football to return his first kickoff this preseason. What you’ll notice is that Miller never catches the football with anything but his hands. He never traps the ball against his body, like many returners do.

Miller catches the kickoff out in front of his facemask, something he was taught by legendary special teams coach Mike Westhoff in 2006 when Miller was with the Jets.

“Coach Westhoff asked me to start trying it my second year in the league,” Miller said. “It allows me to catch the ball while I’m still moving forward and lets me get it tucked away all in one motion.”

It just so happens the same year Miller changed to catching the ball with the his hands and not his pads, he averaged 28.3 yards per kickoff return, scored two touchdowns and earned a Pro Bowl nod as the AFC’s return specialist.

"I just try to never let the ball get into my pads or my chest,” he said.

Miller split reps returning kickoffs with fellow veteran Stefan Logan during a special teams period of practice Monday. During that period, Logan had a ball bounce off the front of his shoulder pads, which drew the ire of special teams coordinator Danny Crossman.

Miller has been out of football since 2010 to get his college degree in sports management. He’s hoping to catch on with the Lions as a reserve cornerback and special team contributor.

The new kickoff rules in the NFL have limited the number of opportunities for teams to return kicks, which some would say puts a premium on the ones team’s do get to return. The Lions ranked in the middle of the pack (14th) in the NFL last year with a 24.0 average on kickoff returns.

Their longest return of the season was 42 yards, seventh shortest in the league.