Ben Coates facts for kids

Ben Terrence Coates Jr. (born August 16, 1969) is a former professional football player. He played as a tight end in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. Most of his career was with the New England Patriots.

Ben Coates played college football at Livingstone College. The Patriots picked him in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft. He spent nine seasons with the Patriots. In his final season, he played for the Baltimore Ravens. With the Ravens, he won a Super Bowl championship.

During his time with the Patriots, Coates was a five-time Pro Bowl player. This means he was chosen as one of the best players in the league. He was also named a first-team All-Pro twice. This is another honor for top players. He even played in Super Bowl XXXI. After retiring, Coates became a coach. He coached at his old college, Livingstone, and for the Cleveland Browns. He was named to the National Football League 1990s All-Decade Team. This team honors the best players from the 1990s. In 2008, he was inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame.

Early Life and College Football

Ben Coates didn't start playing football until his last year of high school. He went to Greenwood High School. After high school, he attended Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. At Livingstone, he was a multi-sport athlete. This means he played more than one sport.

As a football player at Livingstone, he broke many school records. However, because he played multiple sports and his college was a smaller school, he didn't get much attention from bigger teams. While in college, he joined the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. He finished his college football career with 103 catches for 1,268 yards. He also scored 18 touchdowns. In 2018, he was honored by being inducted into the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Hall of Fame.

Professional Football Career

Many people didn't expect Ben Coates to be a big NFL star. But the New England Patriots chose him in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft. His first two years in the NFL were quiet. In his first year, he had 10 catches for 95 yards. He scored one touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts. In his second year, he had 20 catches and three touchdowns.

Things changed for Coates in 1993. That year, quarterback Drew Bledsoe and head coach Bill Parcells joined the Patriots. Coach Parcells liked to use tight ends a lot in his plays. He often had rookie quarterback Bledsoe throw passes to Coates. In 1993, Coates led the Patriots in catches. He had 53 catches for 629 yards and eight touchdowns.

The year 1994 was a huge year for Coates. He caught 96 passes, which was a record for a tight end at that time. He gained 1,174 receiving yards, which was the only time in his career he reached over 1,000 yards. He also scored seven touchdowns. This amazing season led to his first of five straight Pro Bowl selections.

In 1996, Coates continued to play well. He had 62 catches for 682 yards and nine touchdowns. One memorable play was against the New York Giants. He caught a 12-yard pass and fought through defenders to score the game-winning touchdown. His great play helped the Patriots reach Super Bowl XXXI. Even though his team lost the Super Bowl, Coates played well. He led the Patriots in receiving with 6 catches for 66 yards and a touchdown. From 1995 to 1998, he consistently had many catches each season.

After the 1999 season, the Patriots released Coates. He then signed with the Baltimore Ravens. With the Ravens, he helped them win Super Bowl XXXV. After winning the Super Bowl, Coates was released by the Ravens. He decided to retire from playing football. At the time, he was the fourth all-time leading receiver among tight ends in NFL history. Ben Coates played in 158 games. He had 499 catches for 5,555 yards and 50 touchdowns.

After retiring from playing, Coates returned to Livingstone College as a head coach. He also coached in NFL Europe. In 2004, he worked as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys. He reunited with his former head coach, Bill Parcells. In 2005, Coates became the tight ends coach for the Cleveland Browns.

On July 7, 2008, it was announced that Ben Coates would be inducted into the New England Patriots Hall of Fame. During his playing days, fans loved Coates. He was given nicknames like "Winter" (as in "winter coat") and "Ben Technicolor Dream Coates."

NFL Career Statistics