United Football League and Michigan Panthers star kicker Jake Bates is in the midst of an incredible season that has already reportedly drawn the interest of multiple NFL teams, including the Detroit Lions.
Bates has nailed 15-of-17 field goals over seven games, including eight at Ford Field, where the Lions play. Making his season even more impressive is the fact that he has made a whopping six field goals over 50 yards, with three of them coming from 60-plus. One of those makes was 64 yards, which is the second-longest field goal in Ford Field history.
It has gotten to the point where Bates has become appointment television each weekend. With that in mind, when does the UFL star play again?
Bates and the Panthers will host the Memphis Showboats on Saturday, May 18, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on FOX and on the FOX Sports channel on SiriusXM.
Bates and Co. have already faced the Showboats this year, beating them 35-18 in Week 5. That is the game in which both of Bates' field goal misses occurred.
The Panthers currently sport a 5-2 mark and have already clinched a playoff berth after knocking off the DC Defenders last week. Bates impressed during that game, also, with the kicker nailing all three of his field goal attempts. Among them was a 51-yard bomb that Bates hit with ease.
While Bates is reportedly receiving interest from NFL teams, they can't sign him or even talk to him until after the UFL season because he's under contract.
"That's not true, I can't talk to them," he said of NFL teams. "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."
Once he's in the clear, his phone will likely be ringing off the hook — and rightly so. He's earned every right to get another shot in the NFL after previously having cups of coffee with the Houston Texans and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
