Jake Bates story is absolutely inspiring. He went from undrafted player to NFL record-setting sensation for the Detroit Lions. After declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft after one year at Arkansas, Bates went undrafted this past June. That August, the Houston Texans released him in a surprise training camp move. In an unexpected turn of events, Bates took on the role of commercial sales manager at Acme Brick. By December 2023, he was absolutely flourishing in Houston. His unexpected transition from aspiring football player to brick salesman marked the start of an exceptional story in professional football.
Despite learning the business at Acme Brick, Bates never fully released the grip on his football dreams. His determination eventually led to an NFL opportunity when the Detroit Lions picked him up. He continued that trajectory throughout the 2023 season, posting an unbelievable string of performances. Bates’ most notable highlight was a game-winning 64-yard field goal on November 10, 2023, at Houston’s NRG Stadium. He did, after all, display his magnificent talent for clutch action. In the last two minutes of regulation and overtime, he hit all four field goals that either tied it or gave his team the lead.
“The one thing that he has always done is when he got into games, whether it’s Kansas City in the preseason, there’s a clutch situation, he’s played big in big moments for us and that’s an important quality at that position,” – Dave Fipp
Bates proved to be a clutch player right away in Week 1 against St. Louis, earning All-UFL honors. He drilled a huge 58-yard field goal, tying it 23 with a little more than five minutes remaining. With no time left, he capped the miraculous comeback with an astounding 52-yard walk-off, giving the Lions, who were down 16 points in the fourth quarter, a 26-23 win over the Texans.
“It was like straight out of a movie. I think back to the movie about Kurt Warner and his career and how he was bagging groceries and out of the game and how he came back to be the Super Bowl MVP,” – David Sterne
Bates’ impressive performances continued throughout the season. He also hit a 44-yard field goal with 15 seconds left to seal a Week 7 win in Minnesota. Later, he made a game-winning 38-yard field goal as time ran out, clinching a victory over the Green Bay Packers in Week 14. These significant plays added up to help the Lions achieve a franchise record 15-win season.
“He’s grown up as well and it’s fun to see him make those plays, it’s fun to see him make those kicks and make them in big spots this year, he really has,” – Jared Goff
By November 2024, Bates had won NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors. He became the only player to convert four field goals from 50-plus yards that month. This astonishing feat demonstrated that he was the most consistent and reliable kicker in the game. His total of 142 points last season established a new franchise record for scoring for the Lions.
“You don’t want a guy that’s high or low, and I know he’s very confident in himself and we’re confident in him and expect him to make some big kicks as we go on.” – Jared Goff
The Lions understood Bates’ potential and knew how much he helped the team. In June 2024, the Rockies purchased his contract, signing him as a free agent to a two-year contract valued at $1.98 million. This contract was a signal of faith from the team in Bates’ talent as they turned their eyes to the following seasons with more ambitious goals.
“That league did for me what it’s built for,” – Jake Bates
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