UFL coach hints NFL teams breaking rules trying to contact star

Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates (38) celebrates with teammates after kicking the game-winning field goal. David Reginek-USA TODAY Sports

UFL coach hints NFL teams are breaking rules trying to contact star player

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 4/9/24

The UFL is just two weeks into its debut season, and Michigan Panthers kicker Jake Bates has already become a bit of a viral celebrity.

The 24-year-old NFL castoff has made all three of his field-goal attempts, two of which were 60-yarders. No other UFL kicker has made a field goal longer than 55 yards, and just five NFL kickers made a field goal of 60 yards or longer in 2023.

After his latest long-distance kick — a 62-yard FG right before halftime of the Panthers' 20-13 loss to the Birmingham Stallions over the weekend — head coach Mike Nolan insinuated that some NFL teams may be breaking the rules to contact his star kicker.

JAKE BATES THE GREAT... AGAIN! @jakebates30 nails a 62 yard FG before the half! #LetsHunt pic.twitter.com/zM1FbuXXDz
— Michigan Panthers (@USFLPanthers) April 7, 2024

“Outsiders don’t touch our players too much during the season,” Nolan said, via the Detroit Free Press. “With Jake, somehow some of them are trying to make efforts to do that, to be honest with you, and hopefully that backs off a little bit because that’s not — they’re not supposed to do that.”

Nolan suggested that both NFL teams and agents have been trying to get in contact with Bates.

An NFL spokesperson confirmed to the Free Press that although NFL teams are permitted to speak with UFL teams about their players, they cannot contact players directly or discuss that player with their agent as long as they are under UFL contract.

The window for NFL teams to sign players under contract opens after the UFL season officially ends on June 2.

“I had heard something the other day and I kind of said, ‘Well, let’s make sure we nip that in the bud,’ because, look, I want Jake to do well and I want him to get a chance. I’d love to see him in the NFL and no one right now can do him any good, so the best thing I can do is keep those people away from him currently, because I’m not helping Jake if I don’t do that.”

Bates has been generating a good amount of buzz for his penchant for drilling improbably long field goals.

He became a national darling after making a 64-yarder in Week 1, which put him on the radar of NFL teams, and after his latest 60-plus-yarder, he’s becoming one of the hottest potential free agents of 2024.

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