“Love Forever”: Jesse Bates says goodbye to Cincinnati, teammates

CINCINNATI (WXIX) — Safety Jesse Bates III said goodbye to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday with a heartfelt tweet thanking the franchise, his teammates and the city.

Bates spent five seasons with the Bengals before signing a major contract with the Atlanta Falcons as a free agent.

Over the years, the man selected by Cincinnati in the 2018 NFL Draft has become a fan favorite.

He thanked the Bengals on Twitter for helping make his NFL dreams come true when they selected him with the 54th pick in the draft.

Bates also wrote about the moments and connections he made in Cincinnati.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on March 13 the details of Bates’ new contract, which would make him the league’s fourth-highest-paid defenseman in history.

According to Kelsey Conway of the Cincinnati Enquirer, the Bengals’ offer to be a safety star would have netted him $17 million in his first year.

According to Schefter, Atlanta’s offer to pay Bates $23 million in the first year.

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