Jake Bates went from selling bricks to making game-winning kicks in the NFL. On Sunday, Bates kicked a 44-yard field goal with just 15 seconds left, leading the Detroit Lions to a 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
Bates is perfect this season, making 10 out of 10 field goals and 20 out of 21 extra points. The rookie joined the Lions in June after impressing with the Michigan Panthers in the UFL, where he made three field goals of at least 60 yards in the spring league.
At 25 years old, Bates was named the Southeastern Conference Kicker of the Year in 2022 during his only year at Arkansas. After going undrafted, he thought it was time to explore other career options.
“Eighteen months ago, I thought I was through with football,” Bates said. “I was selling bricks back in Houston. I thought the dream was dead.”
But then he got a tryout with the Houston Texans, his hometown team. He spent 10 days in their training camp before being released in August 2023.
This led him to the UFL, where he successfully made 7 out of 11 field goals from over 50 yards for the Panthers last spring.
The Lions gave him a shot to compete with Michael Badgley for the kicking position. The competition ended on July 25 when Badgley got hurt for the season. Since then, Bates has taken over the role and quickly gained the trust of coach Dan Campbell.
“I just felt good about it,” Campbell said regarding the choice to go for a field goal instead of trying for a touchdown on the Lions’ last drive.
“We’ve had five NFL games with him, and when you see him every day in practice, you can create pressure by adding crowd noise and changing the spot. I’m yelling at him, and you watch as he keeps making these kicks.”
“You feel pretty good when he’s under pressure,” Campbell added. “We just believed that his confidence is growing, and he would approach it like it’s just the next kick, and he did that.”
With more than 66,000 fans cheering at US Bank Stadium, the rookie calmly stepped up and made the kick.
“It was definitely the loudest environment I’ve ever kicked in. But at the end of the day, it’s the same job I’ve prayed for and worked so hard for,” Bates said. “I told myself to stay calm, doing things to keep my head in a good place, and then go out there and do my job.”
