Jim Bates ( American football ) Jim Bates ( born May 31 , 1946 ) is a former American football coach in the National Football League , most recently serving as defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers . He primarily ran a 4 - 3 scheme , using fast , undersized linebackers . Bates served as interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins during the 2004 NFL season . Coaching career . Collegiate coaching . Bates ’ coaching career began as a graduate assistant with the Tennessee Volunteers in 1968 . Bates then spent the next three seasons as head coach at Sevier County High School in Sevierville , Tennessee , before returning to the collegiate ranks with the Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles in 1972 . In 1973 , he coached the offensive line for the Villanova Wildcats and the linebackers coach in 1974 . Bates spent the 1975 - 1976 seasons as the Kansas State Wildcats ' linebackers coach . Bates spent the 1977 season as a secondary coach with the West Virginia Mountaineers . He held the same position with the Texas Tech Red Raiders from 1978 - 1979 before being promoted to defensive coordinator from 1980 through 1983 . 1985 . Bates began his professional coaching career in the USFL with the San Antonio Gunslingers , replacing retiring head coach Gil Steinke for the team ' s 1985 season . After 12 games , Bates resigned as head coach following the club ' s failure to pay its players over the course of several preceding weeks . 1989 . Served as a Linebackers Coach for the University of Tennessee 1990 . When Steve Spurrier was hired as the new head football coach for the University of Florida in 1990 , Spurrier hired Bates as his first defensive coordinator for his Florida Gators football team . Bates ' hard - hitting defense and Spurrier ' s offensive scheme helped the Gators to a 17 – 13 upset win over the Alabama Crimson Tide , and resounding victories over the LSU Tigers ( 34 – 8 ) , the Auburn Tigers ( 48 – 7 ) , the Georgia Bulldogs ( 38 – 7 ) and the Kentucky Wildcats ( 47 – 15 ) . The Gators finished 9 – 2 overall , and 6 – 1 in the Southeastern Conference — the best record in the conference . 1991 - 2004 . Bates began his NFL coaching career with the Cleveland Browns as their defensive line coach in 1991 . He then moved on to the Atlanta Falcons to serve as defensive coordinator in 1994 , his first time at this position . It would only last one year , however , and Bates returned to the Browns to coach their secondary in 1995 . In 1996 , Bates was hired by the Dallas Cowboys as their linebackers coach . He was promoted to assistant coach / defensive line in 1998 . In 2000 , the Miami Dolphins hired him as their defensive coordinator . Under Bates , the Dolphins defense finished no lower than 10th in the NFL in yards allowed from 2000 - 04 . 2004 - 2005 . His first head coaching job in the NFL came in 2004 when he was named interim head coach for the Miami Dolphins following the resignation of Dave Wannstedt . He went 3 - 4 ( including a Monday Night victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots ) with the underachieving Dolphins , who had started 1 - 8 under Wannstedt . When new head coach Nick Saban took over the team , it soon became clear that Bates was not part of his plans , and Bates took over the defensive coordinator job with the Green Bay Packers . 2006 . When Mike Sherman was fired by Packers General Manager Ted Thompson on January 2 , 2006 , Bates was offered the opportunity to interview for the head position . He interviewed on January 10 but was informed the next day the organization would be hiring San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy instead . Bates took the news very hard . McCarthy met with him on January 15 in hopes of convincing him to stay with the organization . However , after two meetings between McCarthy and Bates , the team announced on January 16 that they would be parting ways . Bates did not take another coaching job in the NFL in 2006 . 2007 . In early January 2007 , Bates was signed on by the Denver Broncos to replace Larry Coyer as the defensive coordinator . However , Defensive Backs coach Bob Slowik was promoted to the defensive coordinator position ( nominal ) , and Bates was named " Assistant Head Coach / Defense . " In the 2007 season , the Broncos defense went from 9th ranked in the league in scoring in 2006 to 29th in 2007 as of week 13 . On January 8 , 2008 Bates announced he was leaving the Denver Broncos . 2009 . On January 22 , 2009 he was announced as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Coordinator , working with new head coach Raheem Morris . After a 1 – 9 start into the season , Bates was relieved of his duties by Morris on November 24 , 2009 . Scheme . Bates ' defensive scheme uses the defensive tackle s to plug the middle , with the defensive end s pressuring the quarterback . Special emphasis is on the linebacker s , as short , speedy LB ' s are especially fitted for this format . Linebacker Zach Thomas and defensive end Jason Taylor are among the players Bates developed in Miami . Bates is well liked among players for being a fiery , energetic , demanding , yet fair and hands - on coach . Personal . A graduate of the University of Tennessee , Bates now lives in Oneida , Wisconsin . His son , Jeremy , was the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks . James , his oldest son , played linebacker for the 1996 national champion University of Florida Gators . Bates is a 1964 graduate of Oxford High School in Oxford , Michigan . He earned 10 varsity letters in 4 sports before accepting an offer to play football at Tennessee . Bates was recently named to the school ' s athletic hall of fame . Bates currently resides in Florida .