D'Wayne Bates facts for kids

D'Wayne Lavoris Bates (born December 4, 1975) is a former American football player. He played as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Bates played for the Chicago Bears from 1999 to 2001. He then played for the Minnesota Vikings from 2002 to 2003.

D'Wayne Bates is well-known for his amazing college career. He played for Northwestern University and helped them win Big Ten Championships in 1995 and 1996. He was named First-team All-Big Ten twice. Bates still holds many receiving records at Northwestern University. Today, he works as an athletic director at Glenbard East High School in Lombard, Illinois.

Growing Up

D'Wayne Bates grew up on a farm in Jackson, South Carolina. His mother raised him. At Silver Bluff High School, he was a talented athlete. He played both baseball and football.

In baseball, the Toronto Blue Jays picked him in the 1994 draft. In football, he played quarterback and free safety. He was even named South Carolina State Player of the Year. Many big colleges wanted him to play for them. But D'Wayne chose to play for the Northwestern Wildcats. He wanted to try something new and leave the South.

College Football Journey

First Year: 1995

During his first year, D'Wayne changed from quarterback to receiver. This happened because other players were injured. His first college game was against Notre Dame. It was a very special moment for him.

Northwestern was not expected to win that game. But D'Wayne caught a touchdown pass. This helped Northwestern win 17-15. He played very well all season. He helped his team reach the 1996 Rose Bowl. He caught 49 passes and gained 889 yards that year. These were new records for a freshman at Northwestern and in the Big Ten. He was named second-team All-Big Ten.

Second Year: 1996

D'Wayne continued to play great in his second year. He caught 75 passes and gained 1,196 yards. He also scored 12 touchdowns. Northwestern won their second Big Ten Championship in a row.

His 1,196 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns set new team records. After the season, he was named First-team All-Big Ten.

Third Year: 1997

Sadly, D'Wayne got a serious injury in the first game of his third year. He broke his ankle and fibula. This meant his season ended early.

Final Year: 1998

D'Wayne came back strong for his final year at Northwestern. He had his best season yet. He caught 83 passes and gained 1,245 yards. He also scored 9 touchdowns. For the second time, he was named First-team All-Big Ten.

By the end of his college career, D'Wayne had 210 catches and 3,370 receiving yards. These numbers were among the best in Big Ten history. He still holds many Northwestern football records. It's even more impressive because he only played three full seasons.

Northwestern Records

• Career Catches: 210
• Catches per Game (Career): 5.7
• Catches by a Freshman: 49
• Career Receiving Yards: 3,370
• Touchdowns in a Season: 12
• Touchdowns in a Career: 26
• Games with 100+ Yards (Season): 5 (twice)
• Games with 100+ Yards (Career): 15
• Games with a Touchdown Catch (Season): 10
• Games with a Touchdown Catch (Career): 20

NFL Football Career

Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears picked D'Wayne Bates in the third round of the 1999 NFL draft. He was the 71st player chosen overall. With the Bears, he mostly played on special teams. He was also a backup receiver for three seasons (1999-2001).

Minnesota Vikings

In 2002, D'Wayne became a restricted free agent. The Minnesota Vikings offered him a good contract. The Bears tried to keep him, but then they let him go. D'Wayne then signed with the Vikings.

The 2002 season was his best in the NFL. He caught 50 passes for 689 yards and four touchdowns. This was much more than he had done with the Bears. In 2003, his playing time went down. He caught only 15 passes for 151 yards. After that, he went to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a short time. He decided to retire from professional football in 2005.

After Football

After retiring, D'Wayne Bates started volunteering and coaching at Evanston Township High School. This inspired him to become a full-time teacher. He studied online to get his master's degree. He taught U.S. and World History.

In 2005, D'Wayne Bates was honored by being added to the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame. From 2012 to 2014, he was the athletic director at LaSalle-Peru High School. Now, he is the Assistant Principal of Athletics at Glenbard East High School.