CIAA Hall of Fame Members
Ben Coates was a three-year football letterman at Livingstone College where he amassed 103 receptions for 1,268 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns. The South Carolina native earned Livingstone College MVP in each of his three seasons with the team (1987-90) and earned First-Team All-CIAA and Black College Sports All-American honors his senior season. In 1991, Coates was drafted in the fifth round by the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL) where he spent nine seasons (1991-1999) before finishing his last professional football season with the Baltimore Ravens (2000-01). In total, he played 158 NFL games, recording 499 receptions, 5,555 receiving yards, and 50 touchdowns. Coates’ performances ranks him second on the Patriots’ all-time career touchdowns list, third in franchise history with 490 receptions, and fourth in receiving yards (5,471). In 2008, the standout tight end was inducted in to the Patriots’ Hall of Fame.
Coates is a 5x NFL Pro Bowl Selection (1994-1998) and was a key contributor in the Ravens Super Bowl XXXV Championship victory (2001). After playing professionally, Coates entered his coaching career with his first stop being to his alma mater. Other positions held include coaching for the World Bowl XII, Dallas Cowboys, Cleveland Browns, Central State University, and Saint Augustine's University.