Unlikely Lions Kicker Jake Bates Wants to ‘Spread the Love of Jesus’

Everything seems to be going well for the 2024 Detroit Lions, who are 10-1 and one game ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings at the top of the NFC standings. The Lions have now won 10 or more games in back-to-back seasons for the first time ever, and their red-hot start makes the 1934 squad the best in franchise history.

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Among the many players on this year’s team who have had spectacular seasons is kicker Jake Bates, a 25-year-old in his first year in the NFL after playing in the UFL last spring. Perhaps his most notable moment of the season came on November 10th. That night, his 52-yard throw as time expired capped Detroit’s incredible comeback from a 23-7 road deficit against its hometown, following a stunning 58-yard field goal just minutes earlier to beat the Houston Texans gave Lions a 26:23 victory.

In a nationally televised on-field interview with NBC shortly after his game-winning kick, he made sure to praise God.

“I think it just shows how good the Lord is,” Bates said. “He is so loyal. Man, my story is more like I just hope people can see Jesus through my story. That’s what I think I’m here for. It’s not about doing or missing something or being a good or bad kicker, but about spreading the love of Jesus. Hopefully I can do that on the stage I’m given.”

“If anything, I just hope people can see Jesus through my story.”

Lions Kicker @jakebates30 After the game on NBC with some great news after his game-winning FG helped the Lions to a win over Houston.
pic.twitter.com/qwlz1jdF0I

— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) November 11, 2024

After Sunday’s games, Bates is a perfect 16-for-16 on field goals this year (including 5-for-5 from 50 or more yards) and is the only kicker in the NFL without one on more than eight attempts Missed shot scored. He also leads the league in extra points made (42) and has only missed one all season. In Week 1, his 32-yarder against the Rams with 17 seconds left sent the game into overtime, where the Lions ultimately won. And in Week 7, his 44-yarder with 15 seconds left gave Detroit a 31-29 victory over the Vikings.

Pretty impressive for a player whose college coaches didn’t think he was good enough to be their starter. In fact, Bates’ path to NFL stardom was anything but ordinary.

He began his college career not as a football player but as a soccer player, playing two years at Central Arkansas. But the lure of football became too strong. In 2020, he moved back to his home state and joined the Texas State Bobcats, but was only given kickoff duties there.

He didn’t lose his head about his limited possibilities; Rather, he strived to excel in the role assigned to him, and that is exactly what he did. His successful kickoffs caught the attention of Arkansas’ coaching staff and in 2022 he moved to the SEC. He also exclusively handled kickoffs for the Razorbacks.

After going undrafted in 2023, Bates signed with the Houston Texans in the offseason but was released after two weeks. With the door to a spot on an NFL roster seemingly closed, Bates began building his life after football, securing a job as a brick salesman in Texas.

“I thought the dream was dead. … I thought football was over,” Bates told MLive.com in October. “So I had to move on and do something else with my life. Luckily the Lord had something else in mind.”

The United Football League (UFL) soon got in touch, Bates signed with the Michigan Panthers in December 2023 and was finally allowed to score field goals. The UFL season began in March, and in his first game, on his first official field goal attempt since high school, Bates scored the game-winning shot from 64 yards, the furthest in UFL history.

In an on-field interview – this time with FOX – moments after his victory, Bates pointed the national television audience to the Savior of the World. Does this sound familiar?

“With God nothing is impossible” Bates said. “He is risen. Easter weekend, man. It’s a very special feeling.”

Star kicker Jake Bates speaks with us @Jbooty88 after his 64-yard field goal led to one @USFLPanthers win! pic.twitter.com/0jPQdYwcwA

– United Football League (@TheUFL) March 30, 2024

And the best part is that his win in the UFL game came at Ford Field in Detroit, the same field he now calls home on Sundays.

Bates’ skills as a kicker with the Michigan Panthers caught the attention of the NFL’s Lions, who signed him this year to compete with starting kicker Michael Badgley. When Badgley suffered a season-ending hamstring injury in July, Bates was the man.

Now his team is one of the best in the NFL and is preparing to make a breakthrough in the playoffs. However, Bates tries not to let the moment get too big for him. He maintains an eternal perspective by staying grounded in constant prayer, and in his favorite Bible verse, Hebrews 12:1:

“Now that we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us cast off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us persevere in the race that is set before us.”

As is Thanksgiving tradition, Detroit next plays on Thursday. Bates and the Lions will host the division rival Chicago Bears (4-7) as they look to extend their one-game lead in the NFC North. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. ET.

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