Bart Oates
Professional football center
Born: December 16, 1958, in Mesa, Arizona
Lives in: Harding Township, New Jersey
New Jersey Hall of Fame, Class of 2018: Sports
The work of a pro football center often goes unnoticed, but it was hard to overlook the contributions of Bart Oates during his tenure with the New York Giants from 1985-1993.
Oates was a natural leader on the field, who played in every game with the Giants for nine years. He starred on the Giants teams that won the Super Bowl in 1986 and 1990; in the latter year, he was named offensive team MVP. Additionally, Oates was selected to the Pro Bowl five times and the UPI’s All-NFC team three times.
Born in Arizona, Oates attended high school in Georgia and enrolled in Brigham Young University in Utah, where he played on the varsity football team and was chosen as an All-American. After graduating from BYU in 1983, he turned pro, playing three seasons for the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars, helping the team to two USFL championships.
Oates was 26 and a seasoned pro when he joined the Giants. He had an immediate impact on the team, which won 10 games in 1985, its highest win total since 1963. After his Giants’ career, Oates played two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, winning his third Super Bowl in 1995.
During his career, the indefatigable Oates attended law school at Seton Hall in the off-season, graduating in 1990. After retirement from football he began to practice law, with a focus on real estate and health care. He also briefly tried his hand at broadcasting, serving as a color analyst for NFL games on NBC in 1996.
Oates also has distinguished himself during his post-gridiron days as president of the NFL Alumni Association. He has worked to help raise awareness of the health issues of former players, especially those who suffered from concussions during their days on the field.
A longtime New Jersey resident and devoted family man, Oates is also a former chairman of the New Jersey Hall of Fame board, and currently serves as the Bishop (lay Pastor) of the Morristown 1st Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.