Atlanta Falcons safety Jessie Bates harbors no bitterness toward the Cincinnati Bengals regarding his departure from the franchise, attributing his exit to the financial realities of building an elite offense.
Reflecting on his tenure during a conversation with NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Bates addressed why a long-term extension never materialized with the team that drafted him. Bates spent five seasons in Cincinnati from 2018 through 2022 before joining the Falcons in 2023.
“They had to pay the offense,” Bates said. “They had to get those playmakers, those one-in-a-lifetime type of talent in Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, my dawgs. I love those dudes, and we had a great run. A couple of times at the Super Bowl, those times were some of the greatest times in my life.”
Acknowledging the complex economics of professional football, the veteran defensive back added that he harbors an understanding of club management. “I understood that’s part of the business. Sometimes, you can’t fit everybody in that cap number. But that number is a little higher nowadays than it was back around COVID. It’s all a blessing. It’s part of the journey. I was there for five years. That place has a special part in my heart for sure.”
The Bengals originally selected Bates out of Wake Forest in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. During his initial five-year stretch in Cincinnati, he established himself as a prominent defensive anchor, earning an All-Pro Second Team selection in 2020 after recording 109 tackles, three interceptions, and 15 passes defended.
Since moving to Atlanta on a four-year, $64.02 million contract in 2023, Bates has elevated his performance further. In his debut campaign with the Falcons, he earned both Pro Bowl and All-Pro Second Team honors after accumulating 132 tackles, three tackles for loss, six interceptions, 11 passes defended, and a pick-six.
His high level of play continued last year when he collected his third career All-Pro Second Team nod, finishing the campaign with 98 tackles, three interceptions including another returned for a touchdown, and six passes defended. Through the first seven games of the current season, Bates has maintained his production with 40 tackles, one interception, four passes defended, two forced fumbles, and a fumble returned for a score.
