ALLEN PARK, MI — ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was asked to stand on a lawn in his hometown of Houston and reflect on his unexpected journey from learning how to sell bricks to making the game-winning kick for the Detroit Lions.
Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love for Jesus during a primetime interview on NBC after the Lions clinched the win over the Texans with a 52-yard field goal as time expired.
A month later, Bates told The Associated Press that it was his duty to share his Christian faith.
“This doesn’t happen without Jesus,” Bates said recently at the team’s practice facility. “That means life doesn’t happen unless Jesus dies on the cross.” “He put us on the stage to glorify his name.”
The NFL is full of like-minded players and coaches.
Quarterbacks CJ Stroud (Houston), Kirk Cousins (Atlanta), Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Ravens coach John Harbaugh are among those around the league who have spoken publicly about their Christian faith.
Stroud, in particular, was a source of inspiration for Bates. He especially admired how the quarterback regularly praised Jesus during press conferences.
“It was amazing what he was able to do through the media and spread the love of Jesus,” Bates said.
Harbaugh began his recent postgame press conference by reminding reporters and anyone watching or listening that Christmas is coming and sharing a prayer the Ravens had just heard in the locker room.
“This is an important week for football. Right? This is also a big week in your life,” Harbaugh said. “This is an important spiritual week.”
Cousins has publicly confessed his faith since his days at Michigan State and throughout his NFL career with Washington, Minnesota and the Falcons.
“We all have a platform,” Cousins said earlier this month. “We all try to manage it as best we can. I just want to be able to give reasons to those who ask me for my hopes.
Despite Christianity being the dominant religion at all levels of sports, some Jewish and Muslim athletes have used their platforms to share their faith publicly. For example, Jake Retzlaff recently became the first Jewish quarterback to play for Brigham Young University, a Utah private school run by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He embraced his role as an ambassador for Judaism in football.
Bates’ story in the NFL is perhaps one of the most unique stories in league history.
He grew up in Tomball, Texas, about 30 miles northwest of Houston, and played football at Central Arkansas before switching sports and transferring twice.
Bates was a kickoff specialist for two seasons at Texas State and one year at Arkansas, earning All-SEC honors in 2022.
His home state of Texas signed him on Aug. 1, 2023, and waived him 11 days later, leaving him to seek a new career in the brick business.
“I’m still in training, so I haven’t even sold a new brick yet,” he said. “But that’s exactly what I was preparing for.”
But Bates wasn’t ready to hang up the cleats for good and went to the XFL Showcase in the fall of 2023.
“It’s my last chance.” he said
Bates did enough to earn a contract with the Michigan Panthers and hit three field goals from at least 60 yards while playing in the United Football League, a team that shares the same home field as the Lions.
Bates believes it was divine intervention.
He made the most of his opportunity, scoring game-winning kicks against NFC North rivals Minnesota, Green Bay and Houston. He earned NFC Special Teams Player of the Month honors in November.
Although playing football is his job, it is not Bates’ calling.
“I’m not here to make kicks or miss kicks,” he said. “I believe I am here to spread the love of Jesus. So no matter how long he gives me this stage, I plan to do it.”
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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Flowery Branch, Georgia, contributed to this report.
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Follow Larry Lage at https://apnews.com/author/larry-lage.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL
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Associated Press religion coverage receives funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc., a partnership between The Conversation US and the AP. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
