Daren Bates begins his second season with Carolina as a special teams assistant. He joined the Panthers after beginning his coaching career with the Seattle Seahawks through the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. Bates, who was a special teams captain for two different teams, transitioned into coaching after playing nine seasons in the league (2013-21).
In his first season with the Panthers (2024), Bates helped lead a special teams unit that led the NFL in opponent kickoff return average (24.3) and finished tied for fourth in opponent punt return average (6.8). Kicker Eddy Piñeiro became the third-most accurate kicker in NFL history, with a career field goal percentage of 88.1% (111-for-126) and finished the season ranked seventh in Panthers history for all-time points scored (320). Following changes to the league's kickoff rules, running back Raheem Blackshear capitalized on increased kickoff return opportunities and ranked third in the NFL in kickoff return average (25.5), the fifth-highest mark in team history among qualified returners. Linebacker Jon Rhattigan led the team with a career-high 12 special teams tackles (six solo), which was tied for seventh in the NFL and tied for fourth in the NFC. Long-time long snapper J.J. Jansen played in his 260th career game, which ranks third among active players. He is the longest tenured Panther in team history and one of just 43 players in NFL history to appear in 260 career games. After recording 70 punts this season with 24 landing inside the 20-yard line, punter Johnny Hekker has placed 378 career punts inside the 20, the 11th-most in NFL history.
Originally signed by the Rams as an undrafted free agent in 2013, Bates appeared in 125 games for St. Louis (2013-15), Oakland (2016), Tennessee (2017-20) and Atlanta (2021), primarily as a special teams player. He tallied 63 of his 79 career tackles on special teams, which ranked 11th in the league during that time span.
At Auburn University (2009-12), Bates recorded 316 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks. He was named Freshman All-SEC and earned second-team and Freshman All-American honors (2009) before he won the National Championship as a sophomore (2010). A native of Memphis, Tennessee, he attended Olive Branch High School, where he was a two-time all-state selection.
Bates is a girl dad and has two daughters – Kamea and Kavea – and one son, Kaeto.
