Bart Oates

Bart Steven Oates (born December 16, 1958) is a former American football player in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers. He played center for the Giants from 1985 to 1993 and with the 49ers from 1994 to 1995. He was a member of the Giants teams that won Super Bowls XXI and XXV and the 49ers team that won Super Bowl XXIX.

A graduate of Albany High School in Georgia, Oates played college football at Brigham Young University (BYU), originally entering in 1977 before serving an LDS mission in Las Vegas, Nevada then later joining the Cougars football team. Oates was inducted into the BYU athletic Hall of Fame in 1992.

The Giants signed Oates in 1985 at the relatively advanced age of 26. This was because he had initially played three seasons with the Philadelphia/Baltimore Stars in the USFL where he won two USFL championships. Oates has stated that he feels the 1985 Philadelphia Stars of the USFL could have beaten the 1985 Philadelphia Eagles. Oates won three Super BowlGiants in 1986 and 1990, and one with the 49ers in 1994. Oates was selected to five Pro Bowls during his career and to the UPI All-NFC team three times. He was extremely durable, starting 125 consecutive games during his Giants career.