As the Michigan Panthers enjoyed a strong season in the UFL, Jake Bates said he did his best to "be where my feet are." But his right foot was opening doors in the NFL. With each field goal he blasted through the uprights at Ford Field, the clamor increased for Bates to sign with the Lions.
"We had a good thing going and any outside noise was outside noise," Bates said. "That's not something I was going to allow to get to my head or get into the team's head."
But he couldn't ignore the headlines entirely. He said his friends and family were reading all the clips, especially his grandfather: "He loves it all, he’s all over it. Printing out stuff and just leaving it on his nightstand with my face on it. I have a really great family that loves and supports me in everything I do. I’m so blessed to have them."
And, if Bates is being honest, "this is what I prayed to be, where I prayed to be. It's an awesome opportunity and I'm so excited to be here."
The All-UFL kicker and former college soccer player has made it back to the greener NFL grass, signing a two-year, $2 million deal with the Lions last month. It's only worth $150,00 guaranteed, which promises Bates nothing but a chance to make the team. He'll have to beat out veteran Michael Badgley in camp. Bates had a strong showing Thursday, nailing all six of his field goals during team periods, including a couple from 50-plus yards.
He downplayed his performance afterward -- "One day down and a bunch more to go," he said -- but the power in his leg was easy to see. Bates drilled several long field goals with the Panthers in his lone UFL season, including a game-winning 64-yarder at Ford Field, the second-longest field goal in pro football history.
"It doesn’t matter what the distance is," said Bates. "I have a job to do and it’s to make field goals, regardless of where it’s from or whatever the situation is. So that’s what I try to do every time."
The Lions have been searching for a kicker they can trust in three seasons under Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell. They attempted the fewest field goals in the NFL last season, including just five from 40-plus yards and three from 50-plus. Their 21 total attempts were the fewest by any team since the NFL added another game to the schedule. That was more than just a function of Campbell's aggressiveness on fourth down.
Badgley, 28, is mostly reliable from shorter distances, but has limited range. Bates, 24, is a former center back in soccer who on Thursday was booming balls onto the solar panels on the roof of a building behind a set of uprights in Allen Park.
"Especially in the kicker position, you're judged off how consistent you can be every single day," said Bates. "That's something I've worked really hard on and hopefully I can keep showing it."
Bates got his first NFL shot with the Texans last summer, but failed to make the team out of camp. That's how he wound up with the Panthers. He says he's "a lot more mature" since his stint in Houston in terms of knowing "what’s expected of me day to day," not so "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." In other words, Bates is ready. He chose the Lions after also visiting the Packers and Commanders.
"The operation here is elite," he said. "Coach Campbell, the energy he has brought in has been awesome. It was a really good choice that I made. I haven't looked back."
It will be quite the triumph if Bates can crack Detroit's 53-man roster, on top of a coup for the team. After punting on soccer at Central Arkansas, he only ever handled kickoff duties after transferring to pursue football, first at Texas State and then at Arkansas. He hardly got any interest coming out of college last year. At that point, said Bates, kicking in the NFL was more of a "hope" than a goal.
"I’m just super happy that I never gave up, obviously seeing it from here, but it wasn’t always like that," he said. "It didn’t always feel like that. But I think good things come to those who work hard, and what’s done in the dark is going to come to light."
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