Jake Bates

Jake Bates, born on the 3rd of March, 1999, is a highly skilled American professional football placekicker who has made significant contributions to the Detroit Lions in the prestigious National Football League (NFL). Before his NFL career, Bates exhibited exemplary skill and dedication at both soccer and football during his college years. He was a member of the Central Arkansas Bears soccer team and also played football for the Texas State Bobcats and the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Bates holds an impressive record in the United Football League (UFL) for the longest field goal, a whopping 64 yards. His journey to this achievement began in 2017 at Central Arkansas, where he showed remarkable talent as a soccer player over two seasons. In 2020, Bates changed course and transferred to Texas State to play college football. Here, he specialized in kickoffs. Continuing his educational transition, Bates moved to Arkansas in 2022, where he was tasked with kickoff duties again.

His exceptional skills did not go unnoticed during his stint at Arkansas. He was awarded the first-team All-SEC title as a kickoff specialist, an honor he shared with Jack Podlesny in 2022, testifying to his extraordinary prowess.

After his graduation, Bates was not drafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, his career was far from ended. He signed a contract with the Houston Texans on July 31, 2023. Despite his release a mere twelve days later on August 12, 2023, Bates remained undeterred.

On Christmas Day, 2023, Bates joined the Michigan Panthers, a team in the United Football League (UFL), marking the beginning of a pivotal journey. The UFL was implementing a rule requiring the ball to go 80 yards for a touchback , and Bates’s kickoff ability was a valuable asset.

On March 30, 2024, Bates had a significant victory whilst in the first week of the 2024 UFL season. He successfully executed a game-winning 64-yard field goal against the St. Louis Battlehawks. This is the longest field goal in the history of the UFL and its predecessor leagues, surpassing the previous record held by Donny Hageman by five yards.

This landmark goal wasn’t his only achievement. He also made two more field goals over 60 yards during the 2024 season. One was a 62-yard kick against the Birmingham Stallions on April 7, and a 60-yard kick against Arlington Renegades on May 5. As recognition for his outstanding performance, the ball Bates kicked during the 64-yard field goal is now displayed in the “Pro Football Today” exhibit at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jake received further accolades when he was named to the 2024 All-UFL team on June 5, 2024. Despite these recognitions, his contract with the Panthers was terminated on June 17, 2024, which paved the way for him to sign with an NFL team.

On June 18, 2024, Bates was in high demand, leading to his signing of a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions. Of the 77 UFL players who participated in the NFL’s 2024 preseason, Bates and Jalen Redmond were the only two to make the NFL’s 53-man roster.

In Week 7 of the 2024 season, Bates exhibited his trademark skill once again by kicking a 44-yard game-winning field goal. As a result, the Lions triumphed against the Minnesota Vikings with a score of 31-29. Bates was also conferred the NFC special teams Player of the Week award for his stellar performance, further solidifying his reputation as a significant figure in the NFL.