| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1946-05-31)May 31, 1946 (age 79) Pontiac, Michigan, U.S. |
| Career information | |
| High school | Oxford (Oxford, Michigan) |
| College | Tennessee |
| Career history | |
| |
| Head coaching record | |
| Regular season | NFL: 3–4 (.429) |
| Postseason | NFL: 0–0 (–) |
| Career | NFL: 3–4 (.429) |
| Coaching profile atPro Football Reference | |
Jim Bates (born May 31, 1946) is an American formerfootball coach in theNational Football League (NFL), most recently serving asdefensive coordinator of theTampa Bay Buccaneers. He primarily ran a4–3 scheme, using fast, undersized linebackers.[1] Bates served as interim head coach for theMiami Dolphins during the2004 NFL season.
Bates' coaching career began as a graduate assistant with theTennessee Volunteers in 1968. Bates then spent the next three seasons as head coach atSevier County High School inSevierville, Tennessee, before returning to the collegiate ranks with theSouthern Mississippi Golden Eagles in 1972. In 1973, he coached the offensive line for theVillanova Wildcats and the linebackers coach in 1974. Bates spent the 1975–1976 seasons as theKansas State Wildcats' linebackers coach. Bates spent the 1977 season as a secondary coach with theWest Virginia Mountaineers. He held the same position with theTexas Tech Red Raiders from 1978 to 1979 before being promoted to defensive coordinator from 1980 through 1983.[2]
Bates began his professional coaching career in theUSFL with theSan Antonio Gunslingers, replacing retiring head coach Gil Steinke for the team's 1985 season. After 12 games, Bates resigned as head coach following the club's failure to pay its players over the course of several preceding weeks.
Served as a Linebackers Coach for theUniversity of Tennessee
WhenSteve Spurrier was hired as the new head football coach for theUniversity of Florida in1990, Spurrier hired Bates as his first defensive coordinator for hisFlorida Gators football team. Bates' hard-hitting defense and Spurrier's offensive scheme helped the Gators to a 17–13 upset win over theAlabama Crimson Tide, and resounding victories over theLSU Tigers (34–8), theAuburn Tigers (48–7), theGeorgia Bulldogs (38–7) and theKentucky Wildcats (47–15). The Gators finished 9–2 overall, and 6–1 in theSoutheastern Conference—the best record in the conference. They would finish 11th in the country averaging 15.5 PA per game.[3]
Bates began hisNational Football League coaching career with theCleveland Browns as their defensive line coach in 1991, where he served under head coachBill Belichick and defensive coordinatorNick Saban, who would succeed him as Dolphins head coach in 2005.
He then moved on to theAtlanta Falcons to serve asdefensive coordinator in 1994, his first time at this position. It would only last one year, however, and Bates returned to the Browns to coach their secondary in 1995 when Saban left to take the head coaching position atMichigan State. Bates was fired along with Belichick and his entire staff by ownerArt Modell on February 9, 1996, the day NFL owners approved the Browns' move to Baltimore to become theBaltimore Ravens.
In 1996, Bates was hired by theDallas Cowboys as their linebackers coach underBarry Switzer. He was promoted to assistant coach/defensive line in 1998 by new head coachChan Gailey.
In 2000, theMiami Dolphins hired him as their defensive coordinator.[4] Under Bates, the Dolphins defense finished no lower than 10th in the NFL in yards allowed from 2000 to 2004.
His first head coaching job in the NFL came in 2004 when he was namedinterim head coach for the Miami Dolphins following the resignation ofDave Wannstedt. He went 3-4 (including a Monday Night victory over the eventualSuper Bowl championNew England Patriots) with the underachieving Dolphins, who had started 1-8 under Wannstedt. When Saban took over the team, it soon became clear that Bates was not part of his plans, and Bates took over the defensive coordinator job with theGreen Bay Packers.
WhenMike Sherman was fired by Packers General ManagerTed Thompson on January 2, 2006, Bates was offered the opportunity to interview for the head position. He interviewed on January 10 but was informed the next day the organization would be hiringSan Francisco 49ers offensive coordinatorMike McCarthy instead.
Bates took the news very hard. McCarthy met with him on January 15 in hopes of convincing him to stay with the organization. However, after two meetings between McCarthy and Bates, the team announced on January 16 that they would be parting ways.
Bates did not take another coaching job in the NFL in 2006.
In early January 2007, Bates was signed on by the Denver Broncos to replaceLarry Coyer as the defensive coordinator. However, Defensive Backs coachBob Slowik was promoted to the defensive coordinator position (nominal), and Bates was named "Assistant Head Coach/Defense." In the 2007 season, the Broncos defense went from 9th ranked in the league in scoring in 2006 to 29th in 2007 as of week 13. On January 8, 2008, Bates announced he was leaving the Denver Broncos.[5]
On January 22, 2009, he was announced as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator, working with new head coachRaheem Morris.[6] After a 1–9 start into the season, Bates was relieved of his duties by Morris on November 24, 2009.[7]
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Postseason | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result | ||
| MIA* | 2004 | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | 4th in AFC East | – | – | – | – |
| MIA Total | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | – | – | – | |||
| Total | 3 | 4 | 0 | .429 | ||||||
*Interim head coach.
Bates' defensive scheme uses thedefensive tackles to plug the middle, with thedefensive ends pressuring thequarterback. Special emphasis is on thelinebackers, as short, speedy LB's are especially fitted for this format. LinebackerZach Thomas and defensive endJason Taylor are among the players Bates developed in Miami. Bates is well liked among players for being a fiery, energetic, demanding, yet fair and hands-on coach.
A graduate of theUniversity of Tennessee, Bates now lives inOneida, Wisconsin. His son,Jeremy, has been an offensive coach for several professional and college teams, including a stint as the offensive coordinator for theSeattle Seahawks. James Bates, his oldest son, played linebacker for the Florida Gators and was a captain on the Gators'1996 Florida Gators football team, and1996 NCAA Division I-A football season where Jim served as adefensive coordinator, Bates works as AColor commentator on theACC Network andraycom Sports His daughter Jennifer, was previously a television sports reporter and news anchor atKWCH, theCBS affiliate inWichita, Kansas. He is currently a sports broadcaster and working artist.[8]
Bates is a 1964 graduate ofOxford High School inOxford, Michigan. He earned 10varsity letters in 4 sports before accepting an offer to play football at Tennessee. Bates was named to the school's athletic hall of fame.[9]Bates currently resides inFlorida.