ATL Standard

Few NFL defenders have a knack for making game-altering plays quite like Falcons safety Jessie Bates III. The seven-year veteran earned the first Pro Bowl invite of his career in 2023 after tying for the league lead with nine combined interceptions and forced fumbles. Bates' presence has once again been vital for the Falcons' defense this season. Atlanta's team captain is a key communicator and capable of covering mistakes on the back end or supplementing the play of his teammates.

Voting for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games has begun, and Terrell's consistent play on both sides of the field is worthy of recognition.

Bates has replicated turnover generation this season. He is second in the NFL with four forced fumbles and has three interceptions, including two game-clinching picks. Those seven combined impact plays are once again tied for the league lead.

Bates ranks eighth among qualified NFC safeties with a 23.5% "hawk" rate, which is defined as the percentage of targets where the nearest defender gets an interception or breaks up the pass. He has a "havoc rating" of 89 on the season, which ranks fourth among NFC safeties. Havoc rating is a Field Vision stat that combines several key factors like interceptions, pass breakups, and receptions allowed to measure an individual defender's impact on a per-play basis.

Bates is tied for the most "hustle stops" among NFL safeties with 14. Hustle stops measure a successful play by the defense where a defender covered at least 20 yards to make the tackle.

There are several games that could fit as Bates' best performance this season, but his showing in Week 2 against Philadelphia Eagles stands out. In that game, Bates led all defenders with 12 tackles and also recorded two pass defenses, a tackle for loss, and made a game-winning interception.

Falcons defensive coordinator Jimmy Lake praised Bates saying: "He's special. He's a special player. The closest thing I've seen to it in my career is Ronde Barber... And Ronde Barber is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame. And so that's what type of level of play that Jesse Bates is playing at right now."

Fans can cast their vote for Jessie Bates III for the 2025 Pro Bowl Games through various platforms including AtlantaFalcons.com, NFL.com or X using #ProBowlVote along with his name until December 23rd when fan voting closes. Rosters will be revealed in early January.