#6 OVERTIME Edge | I Played Soccer with the Best Kicker in the NFL
The unreal story of Jake Bates
Getting to Know Your Favorite Spaniard 🤝
I played college soccer with Jake Bates at UCA back in 2019 when he was a center-back. Today, he’s the kicker for the Detroit Lions. Now that I’ve got your attention, let me tell you his story, because it’s absolutely insane.
August 2019. My first season in the U.S. was about to start. I had to learn quickly who could really play, and who… not so much. And I remember being blown away by one guy in particular: Jake Bates.
Not so much for his technical skills, but because of how he struck the ball. I’ve never seen anything like it. He could switch play with a 60-meter diagonal as if it was nothing. (Given that we had this weapon, and that he was an absolute beast in the air, you can probably imagine the style of soccer we played. It looked more like ping-pong than the tiki-taka I was used to, and the Spaniards struggled a bit).
Off the field, Jake was a great teammate. Always friendly, always helping out, a top lad. But Jake was burnt out from soccer (despite playing everything and really standing out) and eventually decided to quit. You’ve got to be either really lost or incredibly sure of yourself to give up a full athletic scholarship like that.
He went back home to Texas and started training on his own kicking field goals.
He’d record himself, send the videos to hundreds of universities, and finally, Texas State University gave him a shot as a kickoff specialist. In two years, he made 113 kickoffs, averaging 62.18 yards and 67 touchbacks. Not bad at all.
He got his BBA and transferred to the University of Arkansas for his final NCAA season, a powerhouse in college football. To give you an idea: their stadium holds 76,000 people. Atlético de Madrid’s? 70,692
And as you might guess, Jake crushed it, finishing his college career third nationally in kickoff distance and earning First-Team All-SEC (2022) honors. His next step was the 2023 NFL Draft… but he wasn’t selected.
Jake started working as a salesman for Acme Brick. Yes, selling bricks. And he was good at it, because Jake’s got that charm that makes a great salesman. He was living a normal life, waking up every day knowing he’d given football everything he had. For most people, the story ends here.
But giving up was never an option for Jake.
In December, he signed with the Michigan Panthers (UFL) -kind of like the second tier of American football. And sometimes, the stars just align. Jake’s one of those lucky bastards who built his own luck.
The Kick That Changed Everything
March 30, 2024.
Your first professional game. Last play. You have a chance to win it. You know it’s your moment. You breathe. You hit the ball with everything you’ve got. And you have no idea that your life is about to change forever.
It was the first field goal of his entire life. From 64 yards. An absolute bomb.
The video exploded across social media. NFL scouts who hadn’t given him a second look were suddenly watching on repeat. The kid selling bricks had just announced himself to the world.
By June 2024, Jake signed a 2-year, $1.98M contract with the Detroit Lions.
Jake’s first season has been pure madness. In his rookie year, he went 20 for 20 on field goals. He broke the franchise record with 142 points, delivered 3 game-winners, and just a few weeks ago, he came within inches of setting the longest field goal in NFL history (67 yards).
From selling bricks to becoming a sensation in the NFL.
Some people wait for life to give them a chance.
Others build it — brick by brick.
Humility. Work ethic. Self-belief.
In less than a week, the NFL comes to Spain for the first time ever. Jake won’t be at the Bernabeu, but his story will be. Because that’s what this sport is about: impossible dreams and second chances. “Don’t ever let somebody tell you you can’t do something. If you want something, go get it.”
If you’ve made it this far, thank you for giving me a bit of your time. I hope you enjoyed reading this story. If you did, share it with someone who loves sports as much as we do 🤝