WATCH: United Football League Player Attempts Historic FG With His First Kick Since High School — And the Result Was Absolutely Incredible

Ahmad Austin Jr.Apr 1st, 2024, 10:36 am
 

A professional football player who hadn’t kicked a field goal since high school managed do something only a handful of people on the planet ever have.

This past weekend was the first weekend of the United Football League — the spring football that came from the XFL-USFL merger. On Saturday, the St. Lous Battlehawks led the Michigan Panthers 16-15 with just a few second left in the fourth quarter.

Instead of attempting a Hail Mary, the Panthers decided to go for a 64-yard field goal. Coming out to kick the potential game-winner was Jake Bates, a 25-year-old kickoff specialist. As play-by-play announcer Kevin Kugler pointed out, this was unfamiliar territory for Bates.

“And they’re bringing Jake Bates on to try a game-winning field goal,” Kugler said. “Never attempted at Texas State. Moved to Arkansas — was a kickoff specialist. Played soccer at Central Arkansas. This is a 64-yard try! His first kick since high school! Talk about diving into the deep end of the pool!”

Just before he kicked the ball, the Battlehawks called a timeout in an effort to ice the kicker. Still, Bates drained the field goal right down the middle with plenty of room to spare.

“Oh my goodness,” analyst Devin Gardner said as the kick went between the uprights. “Got plenty of leg!”

After making a once-in-a-lifetime kick that didn’t count, Bates had to follow it up by somehow doing it again — and that’s exactly what he did.

Though the second attempt was a little to the left, it was still a convincing make that was never in doubt. The field goal gave the Panthers an 18-16 lead with three seconds left.

“A star is born in the UFL!” Kugler said. “Jake Bates! Sixty-four yards! Clutch for the Panthers!”

To put the kick into perspective, the NFL record is 66 yards by Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. Bates’ kick would be good for second-longest in league history. UFL owner Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson later joked that the incredible achievement likely meant the NFL would be poaching Bates soon.

Watch above via Fox

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