United Football League (UFL) inducts Michigan Panthers kicker into Pro Football Hall of Fame Jake Bates. On Friday, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced that the UFL ball used in the game between the Panthers and St. Louis BattleHawks will be displayed in the Pro Football Today Gallery. This ball was used by Bates to kick a 64-yard field goal to lead his team to an 18-16 victory.
A 64-yard field goal is rare in soccer. The last time an NFL player kicked a field goal this long was in 2021, when Justin Tucker set an NFL record with 66 yards for the Baltimore Ravens. Before that, Matt Prater of the Denver Broncos kicked a 64-yard field goal in 2013.
Learn more about Jake Bates' career
Bates, 24, played college football as a kickoff specialist at Texas State (2020-21) and Arkansas (2022). He went undrafted in 2023, but looked good in the UFL, making all five of his field goals this year. Bates made a 64-yard field goal and had shots of 62, 55, 52 and 46 yards.
“Not much has changed,” Bates said. detroit free press When asked about becoming an instant UFL star. “I'm grateful that this organization took a chance on me and took a shot in the dark for a player with my background. A lot of teams didn't want that. So a lot of this season. I think I just want to show them that I appreciate them. They gave me the opportunity to follow my dreams.”
Bates also talked about joining the Panthers' roster in January after not playing in the NFL last year. “I didn't know if I was going to continue selling bricks or play football,” Bates said. “So, yeah, it feels good. I feel like I was relieved once I got to training camp. I was like, 'Okay, this is happening, I'm with the team,' and I missed the first game.” It feels good to get a W without. ”
The United Football League, in its first season, is a merger of the United States Football League (USFL) and the XFL. The Panthers and BattleHawks are two of the league's eight teams that began their seasons on March 30th. The remaining six teams are the Birmingham Stallions, Houston Roughnecks, Memphis Showboats, Arlington Renegades, DC Defenders, and San Antonio Brahamas.
