BEREA, Ohio. — Michael Coats Jr. has a football background, but he doesn't have a typical football story. While the sport hasn't always been in his life, he's found his way back to the gridiron on a non-traditional journey that has, with a Cleveland connection, come full circle.
It all began with Pop Warner, playing as a young boy. Coats was a running back, and while he liked the sport, he gravitated towards baseball and walked away from football.
"I gave up on football when I was nine years old, so I stopped playing, didn't play. So after I graduated high school, I didn't know what I wanted to do because I didn't play no sports. So I got a job...working at an arcade, Big Play in Biloxi, Mississippi," Coats said. "I was like, no, I ain't gonna be doing this for the rest of my life."
Coats contemplated his future, but it wasn't exactly a sign from above that led him to his next chapter; it was a post on Facebook. That's when his focus shifted.
"I'd seen a flyer while I was at work and it was at East Central Community College. My brother, he re-shared it," Coats said. "The tryout was like in March and I'd seen the flyer in probably August. So every day after work I used to work out every day, went to the beach every day, every single day. My shift was like 5 p.m. to 1 in the morning. After I got off work at 1 in the morning, I worked out."
Coats kept his plans a secret, not even telling his mother. He stuck to his process and prepared for the tryout.
Even with years away from the game, Coats knew he had made an impression. He was confident in what he showed the staff at ECCC, and a few days later, his belief in himself was confirmed by the team.
"A couple days later they texted me. They were like, 'Can we get more info about you? Can you send your Hudl? And I told them I'm like, 'I didn't play football in high school, so I don't got no Hudl or nothing,'" Coats said. "They were like, 'We want to put you on scholarship.'"
Back on the gridiron for the ECCC Warriors, Coats had some more work to do. Having not played football for a team since he was nine years old, there was a bit of a learning curve. He had to learn the lingo; he had to learn the playbook—he had to learn how to learn the playbook.
"I wouldn't say it was a challenge because I played Madden. Madden helped me. I knew what Cover 3 was, Cover 2, man-to-man; I knew that. So my coach, he did a great job with the whole defense like, 'We're playing Cover 3,' I'm like, I know what Cover 3 is.' [There were] technique parts about it, but it wasn't that hard," Coats said.
Coats spent three seasons at ECCC, playing in 21 total games with 38 tackles, five sacks, four interceptions and 19 passes defended. Coats started as a JUCO product and then continued the journey with a transfer to Nevada, where he spent two seasons, leading the team in passes defended with 17 and interceptions with four in his second year.
In his final college season, Coats transferred to West Virginia where he started all 12 games at cornerback and played on special teams. Notching 30 total tackles, a fumble recovery and seven passes defended, Coats got himself on the radar of NFL teams, including the Cleveland Browns.
"I was going to come out of Nevada in the draft, so they kind of knew about me, and like a week before the draft, I stayed in contact with them because they were the only team who was really [adamant]. A week before, they always kept in contact," Coats said. "Other teams called on draft day, so when they told me a week in advance, 'We really want you' and everything, that's what really made me help my decision."
Coats signed with the Browns as an undrafted free agent this spring. The Browns' loyalty and consistent interest helped Coats decide to sign, but so did his roots.
While Coats is a Mississippi native, his family is from East Cleveland. He signed a contract with the team his family has always cheered for on Sundays.
"It's crazy because my whole family on my pop's side, everybody was from Cleveland, Cleveland Browns fans," Coats said. "I get here and I'm on his favorite team, like my whole family's favorite team...that's crazy."
There's a bit of a full-circle feel for Coats as he puts on the Browns uniform every day. This dream that developed after a community college football tryout has turned into an opportunity for Coats to represent the name on his back in a very special and unique way.
That reality has not been lost on him through the spring and summer training programs and the Browns' preseason games.
"It means a lot. It feels like, going back to my folks being from Cleveland, when you're inside the community and you see what makes them and this their favorite team and how hard they're driven about it—it's like when I'm on the field, I got to make sure they're happy. It means a lot when you're really in tune and around the community; it really means a lot," Coats said.
So far, Coats has given his family plenty to be proud of and even more for Browns fans to be excited about. All summer long, Coats has been making plays both in preseason games and in practice.
His favorite play, aside from the interception he notched in the preseason game against the Bears for obvious reasons, came all the way back in May.
"My first play, my first pick I had. When I was over here, I went hash to hash and dove—that was my first entry, like 'This is Mike Coats Jr.' That kind of crazy effort play," he said.
Coats played so well he earned a spot on the initial 53-man roster. However, as he deals with a minor ankle ijury he sustained in practice, Coats was waived and brought back on the practice squad. He'll continue ramping up and looking to make an impact on the Browns.
He believes in his game and even though he didn't have the traditional path to get to the NFL, it's for that reason Coats has traits he believes sets him apart and will help him continue to impress.
"My background, baseball background, I played baseball, so it's like if I could track a baseball, when I see something brown and big in the sky, it's like, oh, I'm going to go get it," Coats said. "I'm humble and always willing to learn because, me playing a little later, it actually helped because I'm still new to football, really. It's certain things that I'll pick up on, so it's like I really got no bad habits for real. When a coach coaches, a couple days or less I'll change it. I'm still fresh...everything is still new."
