Jessie Bates’ parents divorced, and his mother raised him and his brothers on her own. After his father was absent, the Atlanta Falcons star’s mother, Theresa, worked two jobs to supplement the family’s income. While stressing Jessie’s academics, she also made every effort to encourage her son’s sporting interests.
Bates’ mother brought him to his first NFL game when he was in fifth grade. Things came full circle when he was selected in the NFL draft. Jessie Bates III (born February 26, 1997) is an American football safety who currently plays for the Atlanta Falcons (2023-present). He plays with Desmond Ridder, Jeff Okudah, Kyle Pitts, David Onyemata, and Chris Lindstrom, to mention a few.
The Falcons acquired him off a franchise tag from the Bengals with a one-year contract for $12.911 million. Later, on March 14, 2023, they offered him a four-year, $64.02 million deal. Bates, a Wake Forest graduate, was the Cincinnati Bengals’ second-round choice (54th overall) in the 2018 NFL draft. He spent four seasons with the club, first under Marvin Lewis (in 2018) and then with Zac Taylor.
Jessie Bates Was Raised by His Single Mother, Theresa
Former Bengals player Jessie grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his brothers under the care of his single mother, Theresa Trotter (née Ladd). In interviews, the NFL great often emphasizes his mother’s efforts and struggles in raising him and his brothers. Theresa worked two jobs and yet tried to make time for her children. She would allegedly spend 30 minutes at home before leaving for a second job. According to him, his mother’s hustling opened his eyes and ingrained in him work and family values. That empathy became the true fuel for Bates’ achievement.
His mother brought him to his first NFL game when he was in fifth grade. It was a game between the Bengals and the Ravens. More than a decade later, he would go from a fan to an NFL player himself. Jessie is at a loss for words to express his gratitude to his mother for her contributions to his NFL success.
Who is Jessie Bates’ father?
The Falcons star Jessie III is named after his father, Jessie Bates II. Dad was largely absent throughout the football player’s formative years, although dad did pay him occasional visits. When Bates was in high school, his biological father relocated to Indianapolis. As a result, they drifted apart until reconnecting again when he started college. As previously reported, Bates II visited him during a Wake Forest game. Nothing about his father is known other than that he played basketball and ran track at Northside High School.
Jessie Family: Six Siblings, Stepfather
Bates III has six siblings, including a half-sibling and three step-siblings. Their names are Aaliyah, Von, Donavan, Kameron, and Ariana. The 6 feet 1-inch (2.16 m) athlete weighs 200 pounds and has an elder sister called Aaliyah Bates (b. 1995), who is two years his senior. She went to nursing school at Purdue University. Von Collyear Jr., Jessie’s younger half-brother from his mother’s relationship with Von Collyear, was born in November 2007.
After parting from Mr. Collyear, Jessie’s mother, Theresa, had a relationship with Daryl Trotter (his stepfather). They married on June 30, 2018, after being together for five years. The NFL star is close to his stepfather, from whom he has three stepchildren: Donavan, Kameron, and Ariana. They are all adults and live in a mixed yet loving family.
Bates Advocates for Single Mothers
Jessie is enthusiastic about aiding single mothers after facing his problems and seeing his mother’s struggle as a single parent. The NFL athlete created the JB3 Single Mother’s Initiative in collaboration with his mother and management. Through the Initiative, he provides single moms and their children with a few days of celebrations. It began in 2019 and celebrated its third annual event in collaboration with Bigger Than Sneakers, Inc. In March 2023, Bates vowed to contribute $1 million over four years to groups that help single mothers in Atlanta and Fort Wayne, his hometown.
