Daren Bates Signs With Division Rival
The Tennessee Titans have not seen the last of Daren Bates after all.
Assuming he sticks with his new club, the former Tennessee special teams ace will be on the opposite sideline twice in 2020.
The Houston Texans announced Sunday that they have signed Bates, who has been a free agent since the start of the new contract year. Tennessee did not offer him a new contract after the 2019 season.
The Texans and Titans are scheduled to face each other in Week 6 (Nashville) and again in Week 17 (Houston) for their annual series as AFC South rivals.
The news prompted Bates post a ‘thank you’ to the Titans and their fans on social media shortly after the transaction was completed.
Bates spent the past three years with Tennessee and played 45 out of a possible 48 games, primarily as a core special teams player. He led the team with 11 special teams tackles in 2019 after he finished second each the previous two years, including 2017 when he notched a career-high 16 stops.
As a member of the defense, he was credited with seven tackles over during his time with the Titans, including a career-high six in 2018.
He also served as a team captain in 2018 and had a well-earned reputation as one of the most energetic and enthusiastic players in the locker room.
Before Tennessee, he spent three years with the St. Louis Rams and one with the Oakland Raiders. In each case, he was a special teams stalwart as well.
"Daren Bates, he's been a very productive special teams linebacker," Houston coach Bill O’Brien said, via Texans Daily.
