With the Lions' kicking game in shambles, former Lions great Jason Hanson recently picked up the phone and offered to help.

Instead of welcoming the 44-year-old former kicker with open arms, Hanson was rebuffed, according to a source.

The Lions told him flat out thanks, but no thanks.

In fact, according to a source, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew gave Hanson a lame excuse about why the team didn't want his services. Apparently, Hanson was told by Mayhew that they didn't "want me to get hurt."

Mayhew refused to comment on Thursday.

What a slap in the face of Hanson, one of the greatest players in Lions history. He kicked for 21 seasons in Detroit. Hanson made 495 field goals (third-most in NFL history), made 82.4% of his attempts and had the third-most points in history with 2,150.

Hanson holds the NFL record for the most field goals of 40 or more yards with 189. He also nailed the most consecutive field goals for 40 or more yards (24 in a row). Hanson also has the most field goals of 50 yards or more with 52.

Yet, there was no room at the inn for Hanson, who was only trying to help his former team.

It isn't as if Hanson was sitting around getting a beer-belly. Hanson has continued to kick even after calling it quits.

Plus, Hanson had been helping rookie kicker Nate Freese, who the Lions drafted with a seventh-round pick this year. But Freese was cut after missing four field goals in three weeks.

Then the Lions signed Alex Henery to replace Freese. Henery, the most accurate kicker in college football history, flamed out quickly and was bounced, too.

The Lions have struggled through three kickers since Hanson retired in the spring of 2013.

Some believe the team could be 5-0 if they had a good kicker.

On Tuesday, the Lions signed Matt Prater, who was cut by the Denver Broncos last week while he served a four-game suspension for violating the league's policy on substance abuse.

Last season, Prater nailed 25 of 26 field goal attempts and holds the NFL record for the longest field goal ever made, a 64-yarder. In the last seven seasons, Prater has made more than 81% of his kicks. Last season, Prater made the Pro Bowl for the first time.

Prater, 30, comes with plenty of baggage. Before the Lions inked him to a one-year, $870,000 contract, Mayhew and Coach Jim Caldwell talked to Prater about his past.

"It's one of those things where it comes down to me," Prater told the media. "Whether you go through rehab of (Alcoholic Anonymous) meetings, it's up to me to not put myself in bad situations. I did go to a center to try to help myself. I think it was the best thing for me."

The ironic thing about the signing of Prater is that he originally signed his first NFL contract with the Lions in 2006. Hanson was the kicker and Prater was an undrafted free agent.

It was obvious the Lions had to can Henery, who cost them a loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Henery missed three field goals in the Lions' 17-14 loss at Ford Field.

The place-kicking has been a nightmare for the Lions so far this season. The two previous kickers, both axed already, combined to make just four of 12 field goals, including a rancid 1-for-9 from 40 yards or more.

The curious factor with the signing of Prater is the fact that Denver didn't want him any longer and instead are going with a rookie kicker.

It's a surprising move. The Broncos are trying to win a Super Bowl now. They aren't trying to build for the future, especially with veteran quarterback Peyton Manning.

You would think Denver would prefer an established veteran over an upstart with a lot on the line. In the NFL, one miss could wipe out all the hard work a team has put in.

In the end, it was a surprise the Lions didn't Hanson back. Morten Andersen kicked until he was 47, so age couldn't have been the reason why.

Nevertheless, Hanson is officially history.