Jessie Bates’ parents split, and his mother raised him and his brothers alone. Following his father’s absence, the Atlanta Falcons star’s mother, Theresa, took two jobs to supplement the family’s finances.
While focusing on Jessie’s academics, she also encouraged his athletic interests. Bates’ mom took him to his first NFL game when he was in fifth grade. Things came full circle when he was chosen in the NFL draft. Jessie Bates III (born February 26, 1997) is an American football safety who presently represents the Atlanta Falcons (2023-present).
He has played with Desmond Ridder, Jeff Okudah, Kyle Pitts, David Onyemata, and Chris Lindstrom, to name a few. The Falcons acquired him off a franchise tag from the Bengals on a one-year contract worth $12.911 million. Later, on March 14, 2023, they offered him a four-year, $64.02 million contract.
Bates, a Wake Forest alumnus, was the Cincinnati Bengals’ second-round (54th overall) pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He played four seasons with the team, first under Marvin Lewis (in 2018) and later under Zac Taylor.
Jessie Bates Was Raised by His Single Mother, Theresa
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Former Bengals player Jessie was raised in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his siblings by their single mother, Theresa Trotter (née Ladd). In interviews, the NFL great frequently highlights his mother’s efforts and tribulations in raising him and his brothers. Theresa worked two jobs and attempted to find time for her children.
She allegedly spent 30 minutes at home before departing for a second job. According to him, his mother’s hard labor opened his eyes and instilled in him work and family values. That empathy became the ultimate fuel for Bates’ success.
His mother took him to his first NFL game when he was in fifth grade. It was a Bengals-Ravens game. More than a decade later, he would progress from a fan to an NFL player himself. Jessie is at a loss for words to thank his mother for her role in his NFL career.
Who is Jessie Bates’ father?
The Falcons’ hero Jessie III is named after his father, Jessie Bates II. Dad was primarily absent during the football player’s formative years, but he paid him infrequent visits. When Bates was in high school, his biological father moved to Indianapolis. As a result, they drifted apart before reconciling when he began college.
As previously reported, Bates II visited him during a Wake Forest game. Nothing is known about his father other than that he attended Northside High School and played basketball and track.
Jessie Family: Six Siblings, Stepfather
Bates III has six siblings, one half-sibling and three step-siblings. The names are Aaliyah, Von, Donavan, Kameron, and Ariana.
The 6’1″ (2.16 m) athlete weighs 200 pounds and has an elder sister, Aaliyah Bates (b. 1995), who is two years his senior. She attended nursing school at Purdue University. Von Collyear Jr., Jessie’s younger half-brother from his mother’s relationship with Von Collyear, arrived in November 2007.
After leaving Mr. Collyear, Jessie’s mother, Theresa, had a relationship with Daryl Trotter (his stepfather). They married on June 30, 2018, after dating for five years. The NFL player is close to his stepfather, who has three stepchildren: Donavan, Kameron, and Arianna. They are all adults and live in a diverse but loving family.
Bates Advocates for Single Mothers
Jessie is passionate about assisting single mothers after facing his challenges and witnessing his mother’s struggle as a single parent. The NFL player founded the JB3 Single Mother’s Initiative in partnership with his mother and management. Through the Initiative, he gives single mothers and their children a few days of joy.
It debuted in 2019 and recently held its third annual event in conjunction with Bigger Than Sneakers, Inc. In March 2023, Bates pledged $1 million over four years to organizations that assist single mothers in Atlanta and Fort Wayne, his hometown.
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