No player in the United Football League is getting more attention this season than Michigan Panthers kicker, Jake Bates, who is having a campaign for the ages over the first six weeks.
Not only is Bates coming off a 5-for-5 performance on Sunday that he put a game-winning bow on, he's 12-for-14 on field goals over his first six games and has hit a whopping five over 50 yards, including three over 60. His 64-yarder was the second-longest in Ford Field history, behind only Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker's 66-yarder in 2021.
As you'd expect, rumors have been swirling that Bates is getting interest from NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions. The problem for those teams is that they can't talk to Bates directly because he's under contract, although Panthers head coach Mike Nolan has said teams have.
The rule goes that NFL teams cannot talk directly to or sign a UFL player under contract until after the season, and the same goes with talking to the player's agent about him. The only communication can be between the NFL team and UFL team.
Whatever the case may be, Bates could very well find himself getting a shot in the NFL once the season is over. He was asked about the rumored interest from teams but made it quite clear he "can't talk to anybody."
"That's not true, I can't talk to them," Bates said. "I don't know where that comes from, but no, I can't. I guess we're under contract, we can't talk to anybody. So, that'll come in the future, hopefully, but that's not happening right now."
On top of having made field goals from ridiculous distances, Bates has had to nail attempts in pressure-packed situations like the one he faced in Week 6 when he kicked the game-winner.
His approach is simple: treat every kick the same.
"You have to approach every kick as the same kick, and if you put more emphasis on one kick than the other, that's going to hinder how you kick each kick," Bates explained. "I want to make every kick I go out there for, it doesn't change whether the scenario is whatever it is. I want to make every time I'm on the field. And so pressure is kind of what you make it to be, I think. That's my job to do is go out there and make kicks and I'm trying to do that to the best of my ability."
As you'd expect, Bates' teammates are sure happy to have him, especially quarterback Danny Etling, who joked he just has to get to the 50 and Bates can take it from there, which isn't too far off.
"It's pretty great, all you have to do is get to the 50 and you're already in field goal range," Etling said. "He's been amazing and it's amazing to have him and all the team rallies around him because he's such an incredible player. Pretty lucky to have him on our team."
The Lions recently signed undrafted free-agent kicker James Turner, who was brought in to possibly give veteran Michael Badgley some competition. We'll see if Detroit comes calling once Bates is available.
