While the accolades have increased and quarterbacks around the league take special notice of Bates across the line of scrimmage, it wasn’t always that way. The 6-foot-1 defensive back didn’t grow into his frame until after his sophomore year in high school. Before then, Bates was a smaller kid who won with fight and heart. That experience motivated him to find another competitive advantage which drew him to the film room.
Even after the Bengals made Bates a second-round pick, there were still some who viewed him as undersized and overlooked him. Falcons secondary coach Steve Jackson was with Bates in Cincinnati as the secondary/cornerbacks coach in 2020 and vividly remembers his initial glimpse of the young safety.
“‘Who’s this little guy?'” Jackson said recently, recalling his first impression of Bates. Then Jackson witnessed Bates’ methodical preparation before taking the field, studying the game plan like it was an important exam.
“He knows what he sees on tape,” Jackson said. “He’s not afraid to excel in those moments.”
Jerry Gray, Falcons assistant head coach/defense, had a similar experience when Bates signed with Atlanta last spring. Gray said the offseason workouts and training camp are all about athletic ability, but when the season started he saw the best of Bates and his high football IQ.
“I put him up there with all the top guys that I’ve ever coached,” Gray said.
Gray’s coaching tenure dates back almost 30 years. He knows when a player is elite. He says “the NFL is an open-book test” — all the material is accessible. He also knows Bates studies the game like a veteran who knows you get better in the meeting room, maybe more than on the practice field.
Gray says that players are behind if they start preparation on Wednesday when practice begins. That’s why Tuesdays are so important.
Bates understands this well, even though it’s a player’s off day.
After players got in an extra lift on Tuesday mornings, Bates would gather the defensive backs and linebackers for a players-only film session. Rookies Clark Phillips III, DeMarcco Hellams and Natrone Brooks rotated to pick up Chick-fil-A; it’s the same order every time: chicken biscuits, chicken minis (a crowd favorite), hash browns and orange juice.
Then they review cut-ups of the previous game and give keys to the coaching staff as they set up the game plan. Gray said the Falcons have made adjustments based…
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