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Twenty years in the past, the then-San Diego Chargers plucked Antonio Gates out of obscurity and morphed the faculty basketball participant right into a famous person tight finish.
Later this yr, Gates will formally turn into a franchise Corridor of Famer.
The Chargers shocked the five-time All-Professional with the announcement when he made an look at coaching camp this week.
Los Angeles Chargers @chargers
the flood gates are open fr 🥹
welcome to the chargers hof, antonio pic.twitter.com/y0iPabrAPo
“As I’ve mentioned many instances now, Antonio is just not solely one of many best Chargers to ever play the sport, he is one of many best gamers in NFL historical past,” controlling proprietor Dean Spanos said. “That could not be any more true at the moment than it was on the time of his retirement. Because the years have handed, and because the recreation has continued to evolve, it is inconceivable to not discover the impression Antonio has had on the fashionable NFL and the best way group’s make the most of tight ends.
“Simply as Kellen Winslow endlessly modified the place a long time earlier, Antonio redefined what it meant to be a good finish within the twenty first century. His contributions to our group, on the sector and off, are these of a Corridor of Famer. This was, to me, at all times a mere formality. After we have fun him at SoFi Stadium this December, I stay up for doing it as soon as once more in Canton.”
Gates, 43, performed his complete NFL profession with the Chargers franchise from 2003 to 2018. He recorded 955 receptions for 11,841 yards and 116 touchdowns, incomes eight Professional Bowl alternatives and a spot on the NFL’s All-Decade group for the 2000s. His 116 landing receptions stay essentially the most in NFL historical past by a good finish.
The Chargers employed Gates in 2020 to function a Legends Ambassador for the franchise, a task he continues to carry.
Gates is the forty first general member of the Chargers Corridor of Fame and simply the fifth within the final decade. Defensive sort out Jamal Williams was inducted into the Corridor of Fame final yr.
An official ceremony for Gates’ induction will likely be held Dec. 10 once they host the Denver Broncos.
