Bill Bates Biography

William Frederick Bates, born on June 6, 1961, played American football as a safety in the National Football League for 15 seasons. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1984 and participated in Super Bowl XXVIII and Super Bowl XXX with the Dallas Cowboys. Bates played high school football at Farragut High School in Tennessee under head coach Ken Sparks. He competed in college football for the University of Tennessee from 1979 to 1982, starting four years as a defensive back. During a game on October 20, 1979, he recorded eight tackles, one sack, and two fumble recoveries against the top-ranked Alabama team. He was tackled by a player named Walker during his first college touchdown play. After running the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, he went undrafted in the 1983 NFL draft.