What an amazing moment. In a video released by the Los Angeles Chargers social media team, Antonio Gates has been announced as the newest member of the Charges Hall of Fame. He was brought in to give the team a speech before the season , then got the surprise that left him with tears of joy.
The ceremony for Antonio Gates will take place on December 10th during the halftime of a Chargers home against the Denver Broncos. Gates will be the 41st member to join the Chargers Hall of Fame. He joins names like Kellen Winslow, LaDainian Tomlinson, Junior Seau, and more.
Gates went undrafted in 2003. Following that, Gates was a member of the 2000’s all decade team. The former Kent State product retired in 2020 after spending 16 seasons with the Chargers. Over those seasons, Antonio Gates collected quite a few awards. Some of these include eight Pro Bowls and five All-Pro, three being first team.
Chargers owner Dean Spanos had a lot of good words to say about Gates. “As I’ve said many times now, Antonio is not only one of the greatest Chargers to ever play the game, he’s one of the greatest players in NFL history.”
“As the years have passed, and as the game has continued to evolve, it’s impossible not to notice the impact Antonio has had on the modern NFL and the way teams utilize tight ends. Just as Kellen Winslow forever changed the position decades earlier, Antonio redefined what it meant to be a tight end in the 21st century.”
The Chargers owner could not be more right. Antonio Gates finished his career with 116 touchdowns, which is still the most in a career by a tight end in NFL history, while being seventh all time amongst other positions. He also racked up 955 receptions for 11,841 yards, which both are Chargers records.
Gates is eligible for the NFL Hall of Fame starting next year, so we may be hearing more soon from the great Charger.
Jaden Chandler-Parnell, or “JC” is a Sports & Sports Betting Insider for Stare Down Sports. You can Follow him on twitter @Jaden95Chandler
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