The United Football League (UFL) launched its inaugural season with a bang, as kicker Jake Bates stole the spotlight with a jaw-dropping performance. Bates etched his name into football history by nailing a 64-yard field goal with a mere three seconds remaining, propelling his Michigan Panthers to an 18-16 victory over the St. Louis Battlehawks.
Bates’s remarkable feat stands as one of the most improbable moments in football lore. Remarkably, this kick marked his first field goal attempt since his high school days, making the achievement all the more extraordinary. In the annals of NFL history, only two field goals of 64 yards or more have ever been successfully converted.
The dramatic sequence unfolded after the Battlehawks surged ahead with a late touchdown, seizing a 16-15 lead with just 49 seconds remaining. Following a crucial kickoff return by Michigan’s Marcus Simms to their own 35-yard line, the Panthers went for a tense offensive drive.
Despite facing a daunting fourth-and-6 situation at the Battlehawks’ 46-yard line with a mere eight seconds left, Coach Mike Nolan opted to roll the dice by sending Bates onto the field rather than attempting a Hail Mary pass.
For Bates, the journey to this historic moment was as unconventional as it was remarkable. Having initially pursued a soccer career at Central Arkansas before transitioning to Texas State and then Arkansas as a kickoff specialist, Bates never had the opportunity to attempt a field goal in college.
Despite earning a shot with the Houston Texans during the 2023 preseason, Bates’s field goal prowess remained untested until this fateful UFL game.
Adding to the spectacle, Bates’s heroic kick was initially negated by a Battlehawks timeout, forcing him to repeat the clutch kick. Nonetheless, Bates remained undeterred, drilling the field goal once again, securing victory for the Panthers and etching his name into the annals of football history.
The significance of Bates’s achievement reverberates beyond the UFL’s fledgling season. With only two kickers in NFL history having successfully converted field goals from 64 yards or longer, Bates’s accomplishment underscores his place among football’s elite.
Furthermore, the eerie coincidence of Bates’s kick occurring at Ford Field, where Justin Tucker’s record-setting 66-yard field goal took place in 2021, adds another layer of intrigue to the narrative.
While the UFL is in its infancy, Bates’s monumental achievement ensures his place in football history. Whether the league flourishes or fades, Bates’s record-breaking kick will forever be enshrined as a testament to his skill, determination, and the boundless possibilities that football offers.