John Bates (American football)

John Bates (born November 6, 1997) is an American football tight end for the Washington Commanders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Boise State Broncos and was selected by Washington in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL draft.

Professional career
Bates played college football at Boise State and was drafted by the Washington Football Team in the fourth round (124th overall) of the 2021 NFL Draft. He signed his four-year rookie contract on May 13, 2021. Due to injuries to Logan Thomas and Ricky Seals-Jones, Bates had his first career start in the Week 11 win over the Carolina Panthers. In a December 26, 2021, game against the Dallas Cowboys, Bates scored his first NFL touchdown which he fumbled but later recovered in the endzone.