From going undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft to making his name heard loud in the UFL next year. And then, carving out an undeniable place for himself with the Detroit Lions, Jake Bates’ story checks all the boxes for a loud and proper comeback saga. And through it all, he has remained humble and strongly rooted in his faith. “I think it’s just such a story of the way the Lord works and how faithful he is. He has opened so many doors, just closed a lot of doors. But, you know, he’s never left my side. I think that’s something that I try to hammer home with my story.” So when he dropped it at his old hunting grounds, naturally, people took notice again. 

Jake Bates’ story isn’t like your everyday placekicker in the NFL. After walking away unsigned from the drafts, he got a shot with the Michigan Panthers in the UFL. And here, he made every moment count like it was the last chance he would ever get. Right off the bat in his first match, he set a record. A match-winning 64-yard field goal caught everyone’s eyes. But he didn’t stop just there. Playing for the Michigan Panthers, they found themselves as the 2024 All-UFL team that season. And it was a Michigan Panthers game that saw Bates again now.

As per a post on X by ESPN, Jake Bates was present at the Houston Roughnecks vs. Michigan Panthers game on Saturday, May 31st. And when he was asked to talk about his journey with the Michigan Panthers, the ever-humble Bates didn’t disappoint. Bates said, “Yeah, I mean it means everything to me… my life, my family’s life has changed for forever because of this league and this team giving me an opportunity to just keep chasing a dream and it’s just so cool to see so many people still doing it and the way the league has been able to continue to grow and I’m gonna be you know the biggest supporter of it for forever because it did so much for me and I’m just so thankful for it.” And to think there was a time this guy wasn’t all that serious about football.

As Jake Bates supports his old team from the sidelines, he has already flipped the script on his story twice. First with the Michigan Panthers, second with the Detroit Lions. The road wasn’t easy, but all the kicker needed were his legs and his drive. And now he looks forward to his second season with the Lions this year. While he’s already putting in the work for this season, it’s interesting to note this is a guy for whom football wasn’t the Plan A. So, where did this all start?

Jake Bates’ journey through the leagues

It was in senior high school that Jake Bates finally became serious about a football career. His original plan was for soccer. “I played a little bit my senior year – I played like, just district. So I didn’t play the first couple games, and I committed to UCA for soccer. And so I wanted to play football just for my senior year with my friends. So I did that. But I didn’t start to take it like seriously or anything, until like 2021,” Bates said in an interview once. But jump to 2024, and Michigan Panthers HC Mike Nolan was all praises for him. “He does have clutch in him, and that’s a huge thing for a kicker. A lot of guys kick at 60, or 70 yards – you got to flip a coin on whether it’s going to go through the uprights. That’s not the case with Jake.”

After a spectacular 2024 season in the UFL, Jake Bates caught the eyes of people around the NFL. He visited not one, but three major franchises (Lions, Packers, and Commanders) before finally deciding to lend his leg to the Lions. Even here, at the very first preseason game against the Giants, he made himself seen through hard winds and rain. He kicked a clean 53-yard field goal and got the first points for the Lions. Even through that, he still remained the same humble kid. “I have a job to do, no matter the distance and circumstance – That’s what I tried to do. I was glad I was able to put three points up on the board.” It’s also notable that he defeated the Packers in Week 14 to secure a playoff spot for the Lions.

Throughout last season, Jake Bates has been an image of consistency. He’s not just a kicker, he’s a rock for the Lions that comes through when a clutch play is needed to secure the win. The guy didn’t just get an NFC special-teams player of the Week in the seventh week of the season. He also got himself the franchise record for most points scored. With such a level of consistency, we can only wait and wonder in anticipation of what more he can kick our way.