ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jake Bates was standing on the turf in his hometown of Houston when asked to reflect on an unlikely journey from learning how to sell bricks to making game-winning kicks for the Detroit Lions.
Bates used his platform as an NFL player to spread his love of Jesus in a prime-time interview on NBC after lifting the Lions to a win over the Texans with a 52-yard field goal as time expired.
A month later, Bates told The Associated Press it is a duty to share his Christian faith.
“This doesn’t happen without Jesus and by this, I mean any of this, like, living doesn’t happen without Jesus dying on the cross,” Bates said recently at the team’s practice facility. “He put us on a stage to glorify his name.”
The NFL is filled with players and coaches who feel the same way.
Quarterbacks C.J. Stroud of Houston, Kirk Cousins of Atlanta and Lamar Jackson of Baltimore along with Ravens coach John Harbaugh are among the many in the league who speak publicly about their Christian beliefs.
Stroud, in particular, has been a source of inspiration for Bates. He especially admires how the quarterback regularly credits Jesus at press conferences.
“What he’s been able to do in the media and spreading Jesus’ love has been awesome to see,” Bates said.
Harbaugh started his latest postgame news conference, reminding reporters and anyone watching or listening that Christmas was coming up and shared the prayer the Ravens had just heard in the locker room.
“It’s a big football week, all right? It’s also a big life week,” Harbaugh said. “It’s a big spiritual week.”
Cousins has professed his faith publicly, dating back to his college years at Michigan State and continuing in the NFL with Washington, Minnesota and the Falcons.
“We all have a platform,” Cousins said earlier this month. “We all try to steward it the best we can. I just want to be able to give a reason to people who ask for the hope that I have.
Although Christianity is the dominate religion at all levels of the sport, some Jewish and Muslim players have also used their platform to publicly share their faith. Recently, for example, Jake Retzlaff became the first Jewish quarterback to play for Brigham Young University, the Utah private school run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He has embraced his role as an ambassador of Judaism in football.
In the NFL, Bates’ story is perhaps one of the most unique in league history.
He grew up about 30 miles northwest of Houston in Tomball, Texas, and played soccer at Central Arkansas before switching sports and transferring twice.
Bates was a kickoff specialist for two seasons at Texas State and for one year at Arkansas, earning All-SEC honors in 2022.
His hometown Texans signed him on Aug. 1, 2023, and waived him 11 days later to send him searching for a new career in the brick business.
“I was still in training, so I hadn’t even sold new bricks yet,” he said. “But that’s what I was getting ready to do.”
Bates, though, wasn’t ready to hang up his cleats for good and went to an XFL showcase in fall of 2023.
“My last shot,” he said.
Bates did enough to get signed by the Michigan Panthers and made three field goals from at least 60 yards while playing for them in the United Football League, a team that shares the same home field with the Lions.
Bates believes it was divine intervention.
He has made the most of the opportunity, making game-winning kicks against NFC North rivals Minnesota and Green Bay as well as Houston. He earned the NFC special teams player of the month honors in November.
While playing football is his job, it is not Bates’ calling.
“I’m not here to make kicks or miss kicks,” he said. “I think I’m here to spread the love of Jesus. So, however long he gives me this stage, that’s what I plan to do.”
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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Flowery Branch, Georgia, contributed to this report.
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