D ' Wayne Bates D ' Wayne L . Bates ( born December 4 , 1975 in Augusta , Georgia ) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League . Bates played three seasons with the Chicago Bears ( 1999 - 2001 ) and two with the Minnesota Vikings ( 2002 - 2003 ) . Bates is best known for his achievements as a collegiate player at Northwestern University where he played for Big Ten Championship teams in 1995 and 1996 . Bates was a two - time First - Team All - Big Ten performer ( 1996 and 1998 ) and still holds a majority of the NU season and career receiving records . He currently teaches history and coaches football and basketball at Evanston Township High School in Evanston , Illinois . He has accepted a new position as Athletic Director of LaSalle Peru Township High School . Early life . D ' Wayne Bates was raised on a farm by a single mother in Jackson , SC . He attended Silver Bluff High School where he was a highly touted , two - sport athlete in high school , excelling in baseball and football . As an outfielder , Bates was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays organization in the 53rd round of the June 1994 Major League Baseball Draft . On the gridiron , Bates was an option quarterback ( and free safety on defense ) and was a teammate of current St . Louis Rams strong safety Corey Chavous . Bates , The South Carolina State Player of the Year , Bates drew attention from ACC and SEC schools , such as NC State and Georgia . However , as National Signing Day drew closer Bates reconsidered a scholarship offered by Northwestern coach Gary Barnett . Although Northwestern was the last school that recruited him , Bates took the opportunity to leave the South to play football for the Northwestern Wildcats . College career . Freshman Year ( 1995 ) . During spring practice of Bates ' freshman year , injuries rendered a position move from quarterback to receiver to add depth to the scout team after injuries . Bates ' collegiate debut came during an away game against Notre Dame at Notre Dame Stadium , a memorable experience for Bates , who grew up idolizing Rocket Ismail and the Fighting Irish . Entering the game , Bates and the Wildcats were 28 - point underdogs to the ninth - ranked Fighting Irish . In the third quarter , Bates caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Steve Schnur stretching the NU lead to 17 - 9 . Northwestern would hold on to win and stun Notre Dame , 17 - 15 . Bates continued to excel throughout his freshman campaign , helping lead Northwestern to the 1996 Rose Bowl , where he had seven receptions for 145 yards in a losing effort . Bates finished 1995 with 49 catches and 889 receiving yards , both Northwestern and Big Ten Freshman Records . For his efforts , he was named second team All - Big Ten . Sophomore Year ( 1996 ) . In his sophomore year , Bates continued his strong performance , proving that his freshman season was no fluke . Bates recorded 75 receptions , 1 , 196 receiving yards , and 12 receiving touchdowns , as Northwestern won their second consecutive Big Ten Championship . The 1 , 196 receiving yards and 12 receiving touchdowns set Northwestern team records , and following the season he was named First Team All - Big Ten . Junior Year ( 1997 ) . Expectations for Bates were high entering his Junior season , as he was named to the prestigious preseason Playboy All - American team . However , Bates suffered a broken ankle and fibula during the first game of the season against Oklahoma Sooners football , ending his season . Senior Year ( 1998 ) . Bates returned for his senior season at Northwestern , where he established career highs with 83 catches and 1 , 245 receiving yards . He also recorded 9 receiving touchdowns . For the second consecutive year , Bates was named First Team All - Big Ten . At the time , Bates ' career receptions ( 210 ) and career yardage ( 3 , 370 ) marks were good for second all - time among Big Ten receivers . Currently in the Big Ten record books , Bates ranks sixth in career receptions and seventh in career receiving yardage . Bates ' reception and receiving yardage marks set Northwestern football records , which are still intact . Bates ' achievements are more impressive , when one considers that he only played three full seasons . NFL career . Chicago Bears . During the 1999 NFL Draft , Bates was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 3rd Round as the 71st overall pick . With the Bears , Bates was used mostly on special teams or as a backup receiver during his three seasons in Chicago ( 1999 – 2001 ) . Minnesota Vikings . Following the 2001 NFL Season , Bates became a restricted free agent . Although the Bears matched the free agent offer of the Minnesota Vikings , Chicago decided to waiver Bates , who was claimed by the Vikings . 2002 was Bates ' best season in the NFL , as he caught 50 passes for 689 yards and 4 TD ' s , more than triple of the 15 receptions Bates had as a member of the Bears . However , in 2003 , Bates ' production diminished as he only caught 15 passes for 151 yards . During the off - season , he was sent to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , however he was cut after just a month . Following his stint in Tampa , Bates returned to Evanston to train and wait for NFL free agent offers . However , Bates decided to retire from professional football in 2005 . After Retirement . Around the time of his retirement , Bates began to volunteer and coach at Evanston Township High School , and was inspired to become a full - time teacher . While completing his master ' s work online with the University of Phoenix , Bates shadowed history and social science classes at ETHS . In 2005 , Bates was inducted into the Northwestern Athletic Hall of Fame . Bates taught both U . S . and World History at ETHS . ( 2010 ) Now Bates is the athletic director at LaSalle - Peru Township High School in Illinois