Bill Bates is a three-time Super Bowl champion, inspirational team leader and dedicated family man. Known for his dedication and perseverance on the field, Bates is one of the NFL’s true success stories of overcoming the odds.
A native of Knoxville, Bates attended Farragut High School where he starred in football, basketball and track and field. He would go on to continue his football career as a four-year starting safety at the University of Tennessee under coach Johnny Majors (1979-1983). During his time at Tennessee, he was named second-team All-Southeastern Conference his junior and senior seasons and developed a reputation as the Vol’s hardest hitter and surest tackler. Bates intercepted nine passes and recovered six fumbles during his college career. Most recently, he was awarded a position on Tennessee’s 100 Year All Tennessee Team and inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame.
Following his career at Tennessee, Bates played in the NFL for 15 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. Bates joined the Cowboys in 1983 when he made the team as a long-shot free agent rookie. He immediately became a visible figure on the field with his ferocious special team plays. It was Bates’ notoriety that helped propel the NFL into adding a spot in the Pro-Bowl for special teams. In 1984, he became the first NFC player to be honored.
When Bates retired following his 1997 season, he tied the club record for service with 15 seasons in Dallas. Upon his retirement, Bates joined the Cowboys as a special teams/defensive assistant coach in 1998. In 2003, he became the Special Teams coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
While Bates has many great memories and stories from his time in the NFL, he has always been a family man first and foremost. When he and his wife Denise had triplets in 1989, he gained a new perspective on raising children. It was these blessings plus the births of Tanner in 1991 and Dillon in 1995 that motivated the founding of the Bill Bates Foundation for Children. The foundation helps distribute funds to other organizations dedicated to helping children.
After 15 years as an NFL player and six years as a coach in the League, Bates is enjoying life out of the NFL. He enjoyed coaching his children’s high school football teams. He is also involved in several businesses including a tailgate event in Dallas, “The Bill Bates Ultimate Tailgate Party.” The Bates’ now reside in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.