Bill Bates

William Frederick Bates (born June 6, 1961) is an American former professional football player who spent his entire 15-year career as a safety for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL).

He helped lead the Admirals to the state semi-finals in 1978, in which the Admirals lost to Red Bank by one point.

He was all-state in football and basketball his senior year.

He also practiced track and field.

He was considered the 4th best high school recruit in the state in football.

Bates played college football at the University of Tennessee from 1979 through the 1982 season, where he was a four-year starter, the first two at free safety and the last two at strong safety.

As a freshman in 1979, he registered 55 tackles (35 solo), 3 sacks, an interception, and 2 fumble recoveries.

On October 20, 1979, Bates recorded 8 tackles, a sack, and 2 fumble recoveries against Alabama, who were ranked number one and would go on to win the national championship that year.

At the end of 1979 he was honored by being named to the Freshman All-American team.

He also won the team's "hardest hitter" award on several occasions throughout his career.

He was named second-team All-SEC as a junior and senior.

In 1980, he had 43 tackles (24 solo), including 3 tackles for a loss, to go along with an interception and 2 fumble recoveries.

During Tennessee's 16–15 loss to eventual national champion Georgia on September 6, 1980, Georgia running back Herschel Walker and Bates met on the 5-yard line in a play that still lives in many college football highlights.

Walker ran over Bates to score the first touchdown of his college career.

The two would later become teammates for several seasons with the Dallas Cowboys.

In 2021, he was inducted into the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.

In 1981, he tallied 71 tackles (48 solo) and a team-leading 4 interceptions.

During his senior year in 1982, he registered 86 tackles (61 solo), including 2 tackles for a loss, and 3 interceptions.

Bates went undrafted in the 1983 NFL Draft after he ran the 40-yard dash in a disappointing 4.8 seconds during the NFL Scouting Combine.

He was selected by the New Jersey Generals in the 1983 USFL Territorial Draft, but he decided to sign as an undrafted free agent with the Dallas Cowboys, which had been his favorite team growing up.

He was a long shot to make the team but he earned a roster spot.

From the start he excelled on special teams, being named NFL special teams player of the year and to the NFL All-rookie team.

He started in the regular-season against the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs against the Los Angeles Rams at strong safety, replacing an injured Dextor Clinkscale.

He also played as a linebacker in the Cowboys' "4–0" pass defense, posting 84 tackles (seventh on the team), one interception, 4 passes defensed, 4 sacks, one forced fumble and 2 fumble recoveries.

A fan favorite, he was a Pro Bowl selection in 1984, played in Super Bowl XXVIII and Super Bowl XXX, and was on the Cowboys' roster for Super Bowl XXVII.

He played college football for the Tennessee Volunteers.

Bates attended Farragut High School in Farragut, Tennessee, where he played under rising head coach Ken Sparks.

He recorded over 1,000 return yards, 14 interceptions, and nearly 200 tackles during his high school career where he was known for his hard hitting tackles.

In 1984, he missed 4 games after being placed on the injured reserve list, because of a preseason injury suffered against the Green Bay Packers.

He was named the team's special teams captain.

He started against the Indianapolis Colts at strong safety, making a team-high 7 tackles, one sack, one interception, one pass defensed and one fumble recovery.

He started against the Washington Redskins at outside linebacker.

He led the team with 10 defensive tackles in the season finale against the Miami Dolphins.

He played as a linebacker in the team's "4–0" pass defense.

He posted 52 defensive tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery.

He set a club record for defensive backs with 5 sacks.

He was selected to the Pro Bowl in just his second year, after influencing the NFL to create a first-time roster spot for special teams players that were non-returners, making Bates the first such player to receive that honor.

He was named All-Pro and NFL special teams player of the year.

In 1985, he was used as a punt returner out of necessity, registering 22 returns for 152 yards (6.9-yard avg.).

He also had 51 defensive tackles, 4 interceptions and one sack.