Highlighted Year: Ben Coates, 1994

Tight End, New England Patriots

Age: 25

4^th season in pro football & with Patriots

College: Livingstone

Height: 6’5”   Weight: 245

Prelude:

Coming out of a small college, Coates was chosen by the Patriots in the fifth round of the 1991 NFL draft. He backed up TE Marv Cook for two seasons, catching a total of 30 passes, before breaking out in 1993 with 53 catches for 659 yards (12.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns.

1994 Season Summary

Appeared and started in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Pass Receiving

Receptions – 96 [4, 1^st in AFC]

Most receptions, game – 12 (for 119 yds.) at Indianapolis 11/27

Yards – 1174 [10]

Most yards, game – 161 (on 8 catches) at Miami 9/4

Average gain – 12.2

TDs – 7 [11, tied with four others]

100-yard receiving games – 5

Rushing

Attempts – 1

Yards – 0

TDs – 0

Scoring

TDs – 7

Points – 42

Postseason: 1 G (AFC Wild Card playoff at Cleveland)

Pass receptions – 6

Pass receiving yards – 79

Average yards per reception – 13.2

Pass Receiving TDs – 0

Awards & Honors:

1^st team All-NFL: AP, PFWA, Sporting News

1^st team All-AFC: UPI, Pro Football Weekly

Pro Bowl

Patriots went 10-6 to finish second in the AFC East while leading the NFL in passing yards (4444) and qualified for the postseason as a Wild Card. Lost AFC Wild Card playoff to Cleveland Browns (20-13).

Aftermath:

The 1994 season, in which Coates set a then-NFL record for receptions by a tight end, was the first of five straight in which he was chosen to the Pro Bowl. In ’95, he caught 84 passes for 915 yards (10.9 avg.) and six TDs and was again a consensus first-team All-NFL selection. Coates was part of the 1996 AFC Championship team, with 6 receptions for 67 yards and a TD in the Super Bowl loss to Green Bay, and continued to be a capable receiver, although his blocking was not at the same level. With his production dropping to 32 catches for 370 yards in ’99, he was released by the Patriots and played one last season in 2000 as a reserve with the Baltimore Ravens. Overall, Coates caught 499 passes for 5555 yards (11.1 avg.) and 50 touchdowns, with 490 for 5471 yards and all of the TDs coming with New England. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection twice, received second-team All-league or All-AFC honors after two other seasons, and was selected to the Pro Bowl five times.

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Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970