CARD: Pro Set 1993 ACQUIRED: TTM 2022, C/o Home SENT: 4/11/22 RECEIVED: 7/5/22 (85 days)
CAREER SNAPSHOT:
Ben Coates played TE at Livingstone College from 1987-’90.
He had 103 receptions for 1,268 yards and 18 touchdowns over his college career.
5th round pick of the New England Patriots in 1991.
Career took off in 1993 with the arrival of rookie Drew Bledsoe.
Caught 53 passes for 659 yards and 8 TDs that season.
In 1994 had a career high 96 receptions for 1174 yards and 7 TDs.
And in 1995 had another 84 catches for 915 yards and 6 TDs.
Had a career high 9 TD receptions on 62 receptions in 1996.
Coates then had two back to back 65+ catch seasons in ’97 and ’98.
After a subpar 1999- Ben played one final season in Baltimore.
Returned to his alma mater as a coach for Livingstone College from 2000-’04.
From there he hopped over to the NFLE working with the Frankfurt Galaxy’s TEs that year.
Worked with Browns TEs from ’05-’07.
Assistant head coach and OC for Central State from 2009-’12.
And then Saint Augustine’s from 2013-’14.
ACCOLADES:
All Pro 1994, ’95, ’98
NFL All-Decade Team 1990’s
Pro Bowl 1994-’98
Black College Football Hall of Fame
Patriots Hall of Fame
Patriots 50th Anniversary Team
Patriots All-90’s team
NOTES:
Ugh! Ben was so gracious to me. I accidentally sent him I think a card of Daniel Graham too! He was kind enough to sign this one and put a note on the other letting me know that it wasn’t him. Not my finest moment.
Coates gets little traction outside of the AFC East and the Patriots for Hall of Fame consideration. He’s got a lot of great skills to do it all and was considered the freak of his day at the position. Greatly overshadowed by Shannon Sharpe out of Denver, Coates could block and catch with ease.
He really should be in the HoF. At the time of his retirement Ben was ranked 4th in receptions among tight ends trailing only Ozzie Newsome, Shannon Sharpe, and Kellen Winslow.
Undrafted he’d sign with the Chargers in 1968 but not make the squad.
In 1969 Dempsey joined the Saints, where he’s probably most favorably remembered for hitting an NFL record 63 yard field goal.
During his first season in New Orleans he led the league with 41 field goal attempts and a 55 yard long.
In both ’70 and ’71 he’d also have 63 and 54 yard field goals that’d lead the league.
Before the 1971 season, Dempsey signed with the Eagles, playing with the team through the ’74 season.
The Rams would sign Tom in 1975, where he’d hit a career high 80.8% field goals.
He’d play for the Oilers in 1976 for 5 contests, before heading over to Buffalo to close out his career.
Since retirement, Tom has battled much adversity.
In 2005, he was flooded out by Hurricane Katrina.
Then in 2013 he revealed that he was battling dementia.
ACCOLADES:
New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame
Pro Bowl 1969
All Pro 1969
George Halas Award 1971
Semi Pro Football Hall of Fame
NOTES:
The NFL actively updated rules while and after Tom played. They felt because he had a flat front to his shoes (due to a birth defect) that he was able to hit longer field goals than other players. His 63 yard field goal record stood for over 40 years- before the NFL loosened kicking rules for footballs in the 2020’s.
EPITAPH:
4/4/20- After being diagnosed with COVID late in March, Tom passed away a few days later, during the early days of the pandemic at the age of 73
I caught a small window that Colt was signing in and got him on these three cards. The Icons was the only real set need. The rest were just gravy on top. In fact I accidentally got him again on his Panini 2016 UT card too.
INSCRIPTION:
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,”.
-Colossians 3:23
Celebrating the game, the players, the cards, and the autographs for over 25 years.
