Jessie Bates III is with the Atlanta Falcons now after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals.
Check out his goodbye post to Cincinnati as he exits for the NFC and a new four-year, $64 million deal.
"The Bengals drafted me in 2018 at 21 years old, making my dream a reality," Bates wrote. "Thank you to the Brown family, M. Lewis, and Rob for believing in me before anyone else did. Thank you to everyone who plays a role in the organization, from Katie Blackburn to the flight attendants, cafe ladies, etc. Forever thankful.
"To my teammates, we forever set a new standard for the Bengals organization. You all know what's up; I don't gotta say much. Proud to say I was a part of something special. We made historical memories & bonds that'll last us a lifetime & last to the #WhoDey nation. Thank you for loving my family & me throughout our five years. It's been real. 30 OUT."
Bates is one of the best safeties in team history and a lynchpin for two of the greatest defenses in team history.
Without Bates, it would've been much harder to reach consecutive AFC Championship Games. Now, he'll try to turn around a Falcons organization that hasn't made the playoffs since 2017.
More must-reads: