UPDATED BIOS 53 DAREN LINEBACKER • 5’11” • 225 LBS • COLLEGE: AUBURN ACQUIRED: UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENT (OAKLAND) - 2017 NFL EXPERIENCE (NFL/TITANS): 7/3 • HOMETOWN: OLIVE BRANCH, MISS. GAMES PLAYED/GAMES STARTED: 105/0 (PLAYOFFS: 6/0) Captain: 2018 PRO: Daren Bates is an athletic linebacker that has excelled on special and registered a tackle on coverage units. teams coverage units during his NFL career. He joined the Titans in 2017 • Against Jacksonville (11/24), played as a reserve on special teams and after spending time with the St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders. In 2018, led the team with three special teams tackles, including a forced fumble and he was named a Titans special teams captain for the first time. Bates, a fumble recovery on kickoff coverage. Set up the Titans’ fourth touchdown former rookie free agent, will once again look to make his biggest impact by stonewalling Michael Walker on a kickoff, while forcing and recovering as a core member of the Titans’ special teams units and provide veteran a fumble at the Jaguars’ seven-yard line in the third quarter. depth in the linebacking corps. • At Indianapolis (12/1), saw action as a reserve on special teams before leaving the game in the second quarter with an injury. Tied for the team CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: lead with a special teams tackle on coverage units. • In 2018, Bates was a team captain (special teams) for the first time and • At Oakland (12/8), was inactive. tallied 10 special teams tackles. • Against Houston (12/15), was inactive. • In 2017, Bates set a career high and ranked second on the team with 16 • Against New Orleans (12/22), was inactive. special teams tackles. • At Houston (12/29), returned to the lineup as a reserve on special teams • Bates registered back-to-back seasons (2014-2015) of double-digit and tied for the team lead with a special teams stop. special teams tackles as a member of the St. Louis Rams. • At New England (1/4), saw action on special teams. • At Baltimore (1/11), played as a reserve on special teams and collected TITANS TIDBITS: a tackle on coverage units. • In 2018, Bates and NFL defensive end Armonty Bryant opened AstroKids • At Kansas City (1/19), saw action as a reserve on special teams and Gym in Austin, Texas. The facility offers children’s classes and camps notched a tackle on coverage units. based upon proprioceptive learning. • Bates is a Memphis native and a huge Memphis Grizzlies fan. 2018 (16/0 - Tennessee): Appeared in all 16 games and ranked second • For the My Cause, My Cleats campaign, Bates has worn specially on the team with 10 special teams tackles. Notched six tackles on defense. designed cleats featuring the words “American Heart Association” to raise Led the team in special teams tackles twice in 2018 (at MIA, vs. BAL). awareness for the organization’s life-saving mission. His mother, Weslynn • At Miami (9/9), led the team with two special teams tackles. Bates, was a heart transplant recipient and lived some wonderful years • At Buffalo (10/7), played as a reserve at inside linebacker and on special following her surgery. She sadly passed away in 2015 at the age of 56. teams. • Bates is a tattoo enthusiast and has 107 tattoos. • Against Baltimore (10/14), saw action as a reserve at linebacker and amassed a career-best three tackles. Led the teams with three special CAREER TRANSACTIONS: teams tackles on coverage units. • The Memphis, Tenn., native was originally signed by St. Louis Rams as • Against New England (11/11), played as a reserve on special teams and an undrafted free agent on May 9, 2013. limited snaps at linebacker. Notched three tackles on defense late in the • Signed by Oakland Raiders as a free agent on March 14, 2016. fourth quarter. • Signed by the Titans as an unrestricted free agent on March 11, 2017. • At N.Y. Giants (12/16), collected two tackles on coverage units. SEASON RECAPS: 2017 (16/0, 2/0 - Tennessee): Saw action in all 16 games primarily on 2019 (13/0, 3/0 - Tennessee): Played in 13 games and led the team special teams in his first season with the Titans. Ranked second on with 11 special teams tackles. Also registered a tackle on defense and a the team with a career-best 16 special teams tackles. Played in both forced fumble with a fumble recovery on special teams. Was inactive for postseason contests and notched two special teams tackles. Led or tied three contests. Appeared in all three postseason games and collected two for the team lead in special teams tackles four times in 2017 (vs. SEA, at special teams stops. Led or tied for the team lead in special teams tackles MIA, vs. BAL, at PIT). seven times in 2019 (at JAX, vs. TB, at CAR, vs. KC, vs. JAX, at IND, at • Against Oakland (9/10), saw action as a reserve on special teams in his HOU). Played in his 100th career regular season contest against Tampa Titans debut. Bay (10/27/19). • At Miami (10/8), saw action as a reserve on special teams and led the • At Cleveland (9/8), saw action as a reserve on special teams and as a team with three special teams tackles. fullback on the goalline. Collected a solo tackle at linebacker late in the • Against Baltimore (11/5), led the team with three special teams tackles game. on coverage units. • Against Indianapolis (9/15), registered a special teams tackle on coverage units. 2016 (16/0, 1/0 - Oakland): In his first year with the team played in all 16 • At Jacksonville (9/19), tied for the team lead with a special teams stop. games as a reserve and registered seven stops on special teams. • At Atlanta (9/29), saw action on special teams. • At New Orleans (9/11), made his Raiders debut, seeing action exclusively • Against Buffalo (10/6), played as a reserve on special teams. as a special teams player and recorded one tackle on the unit. • At Denver (10/13), saw action as a reserve on special teams. • At San Diego (12/18), led the team with two special teams tackles, his • Against L.A. Chargers (10/20), played as a reserve on special teams. sixth and seventh of the season. • Against Tampa Bay (10/27), saw action as a reserve on special teams in • At Houston (1/7), in his first career postseason appearance, earned his 100th career regular season game and collected a tackle on coverage limited playing time on defense while serving primarily as a contributing units. member of the special teams unit. Recorded a special teams tackle. • At Carolina (11/3), played as a reserve on special teams and tied for the team lead with two tackles on coverage units. 2015 (15/0 - St. Louis): Appeared in 15 games as a reserve primarily on • Against Kansas City (11/10), saw action as a reserve on special teams special teams. Finished the season with three tackles, a fumble recovery and a pass defensed on defense. Ranked third on the team with 10 special teams tackles. PERSONAL: • At Arizona (10/4), recorded a season-high two tackles while adding his • Attended Olive Branch (Miss.) High School for his final high school second career fumble recovery. campaign. • At Cincinnati (11/29), earned his first career pass defensed. • As a senior, collected 90 tackles, four interceptions and had nearly 900 yards of total offense. 2014 (14/0 - St. Louis): Saw action in 14 games, mostly on special teams. • Named to MHSAA All-Region 1 Class-5A team. Selected for the Notched a tackle on defense and 10 stops on special teams. Commercial Appeal Shelby Metro All-Suburban team. • At Washington (12/7), recorded his first tackle of the season with a solo • Named BankPlus Player of the Week by the DeSoto Times following a stop. 49-22 victory over Horn Lake in which he had 107 total yards and three • Against N.Y. Giants (12/21), blocked a Josh Brown field goal. touchdowns on offense and 10 tackles and one interception on defense. • Played his freshman through junior years at Christian Brothers (Memphis, 2013 (15/0 - St. Louis): Played in 15 games as a rookie on special teams Tenn.) High School and was a two-time first-team Tennessee All-State and collected four special teams tackles and a fumble recovery for a score. safety. • At Houston (10/13), grabbed his first career fumble recovery, which he • Follow Bates on Twitter at @DB_5trey. returned 11 yards for a touchdown. • Follow Bates on Instagram at @weslynn_son56. • Born Daren Weston Bates on Nov. 27, 1990 in Memphis, Tenn. COLLEGE: • Appeared in 49 games during his career at Auburn, totaling 316 tackles. Registered six double-digit tackle games in his collegiate career. • As a senior, appeared in 12 games and recorded 94 tackles, two sacks, an interception and a touchdown. • As a junior, started all 13 games and led the team with 104 tackles. Finished fourth in the SEC with eight tackles per game. Notched five double-digit tackle efforts, including three in the last four games of the season. Ranked third on team with 8.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and nine quarterback hurries. • Moved to linebacker as a sophomore after playing safety as a freshman in 2009 and appeared in 12 games with nine starts. Ranked eighth on team with 48 tackles. • As a freshman, started all 13 games at safety and totaled 70 tackles and one fumble recovery. • Majored in philosophy at Auburn. DAREN BATES’ TITANS GAME-BY-GAME 2017 Tennessee Titans Nov 18 @ Ind L p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Date Opp W/L P/S Tot Solo Asst Sk - Yds QBP TFL Int - Yds -TD PD FF FR - Yds SpT Nov 26 @ Hou L p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sept 10 Oak L p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dec 2 NYJ W p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sept 17 @ Jax W p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dec 6 Jax W p 0 0 0 0.0 0.0