Bates holds the record for the longest field goal in United Football League history, 64 yards.

[10] Bates's signing was one of several personnel decisions the league made based upon kickoff abilities as the UFL adopted a kickoff rule requiring the ball go 80 yards for a touchback, 15 yards longer than other levels of organized football.

[11] On March 30, 2024, during Week 1 of the 2024 UFL season, Bates made a game-winning 64-yard field goal against the St. Louis Battlehawks, the longest field goal in the history of both the UFL and its predecessor leagues,[12][13] five yards longer than the previous record set by Donny Hageman the previous year.

[12] Bates, who had only attempted – and missed – one field goal before in his life (in high school),[15] had made the kick twice, the first being discarded due to the Battlehawks icing the kicker.

[24][25] Bates was one of only two UFL players to make a National Football League 53-man roster out of 77 who participated in the NFL's 2024 preseason (the other being Jalen Redmond).

In Week 14, Bates kicked a 34-yard field goal to win a close game on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers after a successful drive by the Lions.