Jacksonville Jaguars safety Jessie Bates III is on track to become one of the few NFL players to appear in 18 regular-season games in a single season since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. Bates was traded from the Atlanta Falcons to the Jaguars early Monday morning, a move that aligns the Falcons' Week 11 bye with the Jaguars' earlier Week 7 bye, giving Bates the opportunity to play an extra game.
Exclusive 18-Game Club
Since the merger, only four players have played 18 regular-season games in a season due to mid-season trades: Dre'Mont Jones (2025, Titans to Ravens), Rashid Shaheed (2025, Saints to Seahawks), Mike Williams (2024, Jets to Steelers), and Leonard Williams (2023, Giants to Seahawks). Bates, a three-time All-Pro known for his durability — he has missed only three games in his nine-year career and led the league in defensive snaps over the past four seasons — needs to maintain his availability to join that list.
The trade also represents a significant competitive upgrade for Bates, moving from a 3-6 Falcons team to a 6-2 Jaguars squad with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations. Bates has not appeared in a playoff game since 2022 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
If the Jaguars avoid the No. 1 seed in the AFC and reach the Super Bowl, Bates could play up to 22 games this season — 18 regular-season games plus four playoff games. That would surpass the current record of 21 games played in a single season including playoffs.
