Billy Yates (American football)

Billy LaQuayne Yates (born April 15, 1980 in Fort Worth, Texas) is a former American football guard. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Texas A&M.

Yates also played for the New England Patriots and Cleveland Browns. He earned a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in Super Bowl XXXIX.

Early years
Yates attended Corsicana High School in Corsicana, Texas, where he lettered in football, track and field, and basketball.

College career
After graduating from high school, Yates attended Texas A&M University beginning in 1999. He was a reserve offensive lineman in his first two seasons, but started 20 games over his junior and senior seasons in 2001 and 2002.

Miami Dolphins
Yates was signed as an undrafted free agent after the 2003 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. He made the Dolphins' 53-man roster out of training camp and saw action in three games as a reserve in 2003. He was waived by the Dolphins on September 5, 2004.

New England Patriots
Yates was signed to the practice squad of the New England Patriots on September 11, 2004, where he spent the remainder of the regular season and playoffs until being activated for Super Bowl XXXIX. He also began the 2005 season on the Patriots' practice squad before being activated on November 12 following the loss of starting center Dan Koppen for the season. He was a reserve offensive lineman for the remainder of the season and playoffs, while also seeing time on kickoff coverage units.

Yates began yet another season on the practice squad for the Patriots in 2006, but was activated on October 21 and a game later made his first start on October 30, 2006, against the Minnesota Vikings in place of an injured Stephen Neal. He would go on to start the Patriots' next two games at right guard but was injured in the second against the New York Jets and was placed on injured reserve, missing the remainder of the season with a broken leg. Yates, for the first time with the Patriots, made the 53-man roster to open the 2007 season; he started the second game of the year against the San Diego Chargers, his only start of the year.

When Neal began the 2008 season on the Physically Unable to Perform list, Yates started all seven games that Neal missed. He was inactive or did not play for the remainder of the season once Neal returned. Yates was released by the team on February 17, 2009, only to be re-signed two days later in a salary cap-related move.

He was released on September 4, 2009.

Cleveland Browns
Yates was signed by the Cleveland Browns on September 16, 2009. He played in seven games during his first season with the Browns, but started none.

Retirement
On August 15, 2011, Yates announced his intent to retire from football.