John Bates (American football)
Bates with the Washington Commanders in 2024 | |||||||||
| No. 87 – Washington Commanders | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||
| Roster status | Active | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born | November 6, 1997 Nyssa, Oregon, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | ||||||||
| Weight | 256 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school | Lebanon (Lebanon, Oregon) | ||||||||
| College | Boise State (2016–2020) | ||||||||
| NFL draft | 2021: 4th round, 124th overall pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of Week 16, 2025 | |||||||||
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John Bates (born November 6, 1997) is an American professional football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos and was selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 5+3⁄8 in (1.97 m) |
250 lb (113 kg) |
32+1⁄4 in (0.82 m) |
9+3⁄8 in (0.24 m) |
4.82 s | 1.71 s | 2.83 s | 4.35 s | 6.85 s | 31.5 in (0.80 m) |
10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) |
19 reps | |
| All values from Pro Day[1][2][3] | ||||||||||||
Bates was drafted by the Washington Football Team in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2021 NFL draft.[4] He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021.[5] Due to injuries to Logan Thomas and Ricky Seals-Jones, Bates had his first career start in the Week 11 win over the Carolina Panthers.[6] In a December 26, 2021, game against the Dallas Cowboys, Bates scored his first NFL touchdown which he fumbled but later recovered in the endzone.[7]
On March 11, 2025, Bates signed a three-year, $21,000,000 contract extension with the Commanders.[8] Bates has been referred to as one of the best blocking tight ends in the NFL.[9][10]
References
- ^ "John Bates Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "2021 NFL Draft Scout John Bates College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ "John Bates 2021 NFL Draft Profile". insider.espn.com. Archived from the original on April 8, 2023. Retrieved April 5, 2023.
- ^ Kyle, Stackpole (May 1, 2021). "Washington Selects TE John Bates With Fourth-Round Pick". Washington Commanders. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ Stackpole, Kyle (May 13, 2021). "Washington Signs 2021 Draft Class". Washington Commanders. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- ^ Walker, Rhiannon (November 26, 2021). "John Bates making it count in unexpected starting role for Washington". TheAthletic.com. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ "John Bates recovers his own fumble for physical TD catch and run". NFL.com.
- ^ "Commanders re-sign TE John Bates". Commanders.com. March 11, 2025.
- ^ Jhabvala, Nicki (September 11, 2025). "How the Commanders' John Bates became one of the NFL's best blocking tight ends". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
- ^ "Unheralded Commanders' workhorse is quietly becoming a breakout star". Riggo's Rag. September 10, 2025. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
External links
- Career statistics from NFL.com · ESPN
- John Bates on Twitter
- Washington Commanders profile
- Boise State Broncos profile