With 15 seconds left in the game, a 44-yard field goal from Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates sealed the 31-29 win over the Minnesota Vikings. That clutch kick reverberated throughout the league. Bates’ field goal catapulted the Lions into first place in the highly competitive NFC North division.
How The UFL Has Made An Impact In The NFL
Bates, the NFC Special Teams Player of the Week and former UFL Michigan Panthers standout is winning fans throughout the NFL. He has been outstanding as a rookie, kicking 10 out of 10 field goals and 20 out of 21 extra points.
As a result of his game-winning kick on Sunday, Bates was all over the media, sparking a firestorm of publicity. In a post-game interview, the young kicker reflected that 18 months earlier, he’d given up on a football career and was selling bricks in Houston, Texas.
Previously, Bates experienced a brief taste of NFL life when the Houston Texans signed him as an undrafted free agent on July 31, 2023. A former college soccer player who had never kicked a field goal, Bates nonetheless impressed the coaches with his powerful leg strength and ability to kick the football.
An Opportunity With The UFL
Before the UFL’s premiere season, the league adopted a rule change from the traditional NFL kickoff and prioritized long-distance kicking. Under the new rule, the UFL required an 80-yard touchback, fifteen yards further than the NFL. Suddenly, Bates’ superior leg strength and long-distance kicking ability were in high demand.
Bates signed a contract with the Panthers (UFL) on December 25, 2023. Soon afterward, a star was born. In the Panthers’ first game of the season, Bates distinguished himself by kicking a 64-yard field goal (the second-longest kick in professional football history) and won the game for the Panthers with mere seconds left on the clock. Bates went on to have an extraordinary season with the Panthers, nailing three kicks over 60 yards and converting 17 out of 22 field goal attempts to finish 2nd in the UFL. Bates’s extraordinary season left several NFL teams vying for his talents. But he ultimately signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Lions worth almost two million dollars.
How The UFL Has Impacted The NFL
In addition to extending the professional football season throughout the spring, the UFL has distinguished itself as an incubator for emerging NFL talent. The UFL is now recognized as a legitimate pathway to the NFL providing talented athletes an opportunity to receive one-on-one coaching and develop their skills. Following the league’s successful inaugural season, 80 UFL players have been signed to NFL teams. While many of these players were signed to NFL practice squads during the preseason and subsequently released, approximately 20 percent of all UFL players were given an NFL tryout. Without the invaluable UFL experience, these players would never have had the opportunity to sign with an NFL team.
Other UFL Players Making an Impact In The NFL
Bates isn’t the only former UFL player impacting the NFL this season. Second-year Dallas Cowboys star kicker, Brandon Aubrey, continues to build on his outstanding reputation as the top kicker in the NFL.
In Week 6, Aubrey was the only Dallas player to get on the scoreboard. He accounted for every point the Cowboys scored in their loss to the Lions by a score of 47-9. In six games this season, Aubrey is 17 out of 19 field goals with a 65-yarder as his longest kick. He’s been perfect in kicking extra points with nine. Aubrey is also delighting his fantasy managers. Despite the Cowboys’ early bye week, Aubrey has 76 fantasy points, ranking him higher than many NFL superstars including Tyreek Hill and Tyler Lockett.
But Bates and Aubrey aren’t the only former UFL athletes finding success in the NFL. While spring football continues to be a successful launching pad for NFL kickers such as the Atlanta Falcon’s veteran kicker, Younghoe Koo, the UFL has provided talent in other positions. Dallas Cowboys wide receiver KaVontae Turpin is one of the bright spots for Dallas this season. In addition to 13 receptions for 129 yards and one touchdown, Turpin is currently the team’s leading punt returner with a 60-yard return in week 2.
In week 3, former Birmingham Stallions OL Dondrea Tillman made his NFL debut with the Denver Broncos. Tillman contributed three tackles and two sacks for a loss of 18 yards. Along with teammate, quarterback Bo Nix, Tillman was nominated for NFL Rookie of the Week. Finally, another former spring football player who continues to make an impact in the NFL is Miami Dolphins running back, Raheem Mostert. Paired last season with De’Von Achane, the two made up one of the most successful tandem combinations in the NFL. Mostert had 209 rushes for over 1,000 yards with 18 touchdowns. He added another 25 receptions for 175 yards. Although Achane appeared in only 11 games, he achieved 800 yards from 103 carries with eight touchdowns. He added another 197 yards on 27 receptions with three touchdowns.
Who Will Be The Next UFL Player Making An Impact In the NFL?
More than 20 UFL players are currently signed to NFL team practice squads. If a player is injured or ill, practice squad players can be elevated to the team roster. While roster activations are only a one-week designation, if the player is activated more than three times in a season, he becomes a member of the 53-man roster.
One player who should see some playing time this season could be former Birmingham Stallions quarterback and UFL league MVP Adrian Martinez. For New York Jets fans frustrated by the lackluster play and endless excuses of veteran quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, Martinez could help spark the dismal offense. Martinez brings UFL Championship experience along with impressive speed and agility. But only time will tell if he will get a chance to make an impact this season.
Main Image: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
