Field Yates
{{Short description|American sportswriter (born 1987)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox presenter
|image =
|caption =
|birth_name = Field Minister Yates
|other_names =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1987|4|23}}
|birth_place = Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
|death_date =
|alma_mater = Wesleyan University (BS)
|years_active = 2008–present
|show = Fantasy Focus (2018-present)
|station = ESPN Radio
|country = United States
|web =
|module = {{Infobox college football player
| embed = yes
| school = Wesleyan Cardinals
| currentnumber =
| currentposition = Safety
| class = 2009
| major = Psychology
| bowlgames =
| highschool = Belmont Hill School
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 11
| weight_lb = 200
}}
}}
Field Minister Yates (born April 23, 1987) is an American sportswriter and analyst, who is an NFL Insider at ESPN where he provides NFL and fantasy football insight. A graduate of Wesleyan University, where he was a two sport athlete, and a former member of the Kansas City Chiefs coaching staff, he has worked at ESPN since 2012.
Early life
Yates was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on April 23, 1987. He attended Belmont Hill School and was a member of their football team and lacrosse team.{{cite web | title=ESPN NFL Reporter Field Yates Keeps Lacrosse Close to His Heart | website=USA Lacrosse | url=https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/espn-nfl-reporter-field-yates-keeps-lacrosse-close-his-heart | access-date=2025-01-23}} As a tight end and linebacker, he was named to the All-Independent School League.{{Cite web |last=York |first=Bob |date=2022-08-23 |title=Former Belmont Hill Standout Takes a Seat — at ESPN {{!}} New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (MA) |url=https://nepsac.org/former-belmont-hill-standout-takes-a-seat-at-espn/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=New England Preparatory School Athletic Council |language=en-US}} He later attended Wesleyan University where he graduated with a degree in psychology.{{Cite web|url=https://magazine.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2019/05/20/how-field-yates-09-defies-the-odds-in-the-sports-industry/|title=How Field Yates '09 Defies the Odds in the Sports Industry|website=Wesleyan University Magazine|date=May 20, 2019 |access-date=November 13, 2020}} At Wesleyan, he was a member of the football team and lacrosse team.{{Cite web |last=Ota |first=Kevin |date=2015-08-27 |title=Wesleyan football pipeline a point of pride for Yates |url=https://www.espnfrontrow.com/2015/08/wesleyan-football-pipeline-a-point-of-pride-for-yates/ |access-date=2024-12-21 |website=ESPN Front Row |language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MkN7hPllp0|title=Growing in the Media Space|website=TED (conference)|access-date=November 13, 2020}}
Career
=NFL=
Yates intended to pursue a career in either coaching or scouting football. His career was heading that way as he interned with the New England Patriots for four seasons during his high school and college years.{{Cite web|url=http://www.athleisuremag.com/the-latest/tag/Field+Yates|title=WHEN FANTASY IS REALITY WITH FIELD YATES|website=Athleisure Magazine|date=November 23, 2018 |access-date=November 13, 2020}} With the Patriots, Yates worked in a variety of scouting and coaching duties. From 2009 to 2011, he worked for the Kansas City Chiefs in their scouting and coaching department. During his first year with the Chiefs, Yates worked as an in-house scout and soon after worked as an assistant to Head Coach Todd Haley. Yates spent games in the coaching box and charted defensive plays.{{Cite web |last=Allen |first=Patrick |date=October 28, 2011 |title=Talking Chiefs With Field Yates |url=https://arrowheadaddict.com/2011/10/28/talking-chiefs-with-field-yates/ |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=FanSided}}
=ESPN=
Yates has stated that he ended up in broadcasting and journalism "by complete accident."{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQOr877Gqek|title=Interview with ESPN NFL Insider Field Yates|website=Jacob and Jacob Podcast|access-date=November 13, 2020}} After leaving the Chiefs organization, he spent time writing a football blog and writing for some football sites. In 2011, he connected with ESPN reporter Mike Reiss, who then served as a mentor to Yates.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the33rdteam.com/the-friday-five-field-yates/|title=The Friday Five: Field Yates|website=The 33rd Team|access-date=November 13, 2020}} Yates helped Reiss with his coverage of the Patriots during the 2012 NFL draft and the 2012 New England Patriots season.
After first covering the Patriots for ESPN Boston, ESPN hired Yates and assigned him to a variety of duties. At ESPN, Yates serves as a football analyst, who covers the NFL and provides fantasy football insight. He co-hosts the Fantasy Focus podcast on ESPN Radio.{{Cite web|url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/bios/field-yates/|title=Field Yates|website=ESPN|access-date=November 13, 2020}} He also hosts ESPN 2's Sunday pregame show Fantasy Football Now, which he was previously a contributor to, and serves as a contributor to Monday Night Football as the host of Monday Tailgate.{{Cite web |last=Burack |first=Bobby |date=September 2, 2020 |title=FIELD YATES TO HOST 'FANTASY FOOTBALL NOW,' AGREES TO NEW CONTRACT |url=https://www.outkick.com/field-yates-fantasy-football-host/ |access-date=November 13, 2020 |website=OutKick}}
He previously served as the host of ESPN Radio's shows Operation Football and Football Friendzy. Yates is also a regular contributor to NFL Live, SportsCenter, The Fantasy Show on ESPN+ and to ESPN's coverage of the NFL draft.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{ESPN NFL Personalities}}
{{Portal bar|American football|Biography|Journalism|Television|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yates, Field}}
Category:21st-century American journalists
Category:American male journalists