Players

One of the most feared players at his position in NFL history, Antonio Gates has helped to set the standard by which tight ends are measured. A five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro, Gates’ 51 touchdown catches since he came into the league in 2003 lead all NFL tight ends, while his 5,066 yards rank second and his 400 catches third.

   Gates led the Chargers in receptions (60) and touchdown catches (eight) in 2008.

   He had several milestone catches in the Chargers’ game at Tampa Bay in December. He caught his 50th touchdown pass and surpassed 5,000 career receiving yards in the Bucs game, the 92nd of his career. In doing so, he became the NFL tight end to catch 50 touchdown passes in the fewest games, and reach 5,000 yards in the second-fewest games (Kellen Winslow, 69 games). The Tampa Bay game marked the ninth two-touchdown game of his career and the Chargers win over the Bucs improved their record to 9-0 in games when No. 85 hit paydirt two or more times.

  It was important for Gates to come back strong in 2008 after his ’07 season was derailed by a toe injury in the playoffs that ultimately led to offseason surgery. Gates led the team with 75 catches, 984 yards and nine touchdowns in the ’07 regular season, but in the Chargers’ playoff opener against Tennessee, he was hit on the ground after a catch and badly injured his big toe. He managed to play in the Divisional Playoffs and the AFC Championship Game, but truly wasn’t himself and had to undergo the surgery following the season.

  From 2004-07, Gates led the team each season in receptions, yards and touchdown catches. In 2004, he set the NFL record for single-season touchdown catches by at tight end (13). They were the fourth-most in the NFL that season and tied for the second-most by any player in team history. In ’05, Gates had his breakout year, setting career-highs with 89 catches and 1,101 yards. He tied Winslow’s team record for catches by a tight end and his yards were the most by a Bolts’ TE since Winslow’s 1,172 in 1983. Besides leading the team, Gates also led all NFL tight ends in catches, yards and touchdowns and he became only the second tight end in NFL history (Todd Christensen, 1983) to rack up 1,100 yards and 10 touchdowns in the same season. 2005 would mark his second-consecutive 10-touchdown season, a first for NFL tight ends and his 23 TDs over the two year span of 2004-05 were the most ever by a tight end. Gates had nine touchdown catches in ’06, just missing out on his third-consecutive 10-TD season, but he did again lead all NFL tight ends in touchdowns and receiving yards.

  Throughout his career, Gates has been one of the team’s most dependable receivers, as evidenced by his 125 career third-down catches, ninth-most among all NFL players and second-most among tight ends.

  Off the field, Gates is just as much a giver as he is a receiver. For the last five years, Gates has served as the honorary chairman for the Shoot to Cure HD, a speed free-throw shooting event that raises money for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. He has also served as the host of a holiday event for homeless teens from the San Diego Center for Children, the Clark Teen Center and the Ronald McDonald House. Last December, he hosted a “Shop with a Charger” event for homeless, neglected and abused children from San Diego’s Polinsky Center.

  Gates’ unique route to the NFL is well-chronicled. When he signed with the Chargers in 2003, he had not strapped on shoulder pads since his senior season at Central High School in Detroit. He began his collegiate career at Michigan State under the assumption that he could play both football and basketball. When the school’s football coach relented, Gates chose to focus on hoops and decided it was best to leave the East Lansing campus. An up-and-down start to his basketball career sent Antonio bouncing to three different schools before he finally found a home at Kent State. In two seasons for the Golden Flashes, he helped lead the team to back-to-back conference championships and the “Elite Eight” in the 2002 NCAA Tournament. Gates left the Kent, Ohio campus as the school’s sixth all-time scorer. Labeled as a classic “tweener” coming out of college and not likely to be drafted into the NBA, Gates opted to give football another shot and that led to his signing with the Chargers.

  In the May 2007 issue of Pro Football Hall of Fame Magazine, Gates was listed as the fourth-best undrafted player in NFL history.

  Gates still follows college basketball closely and often participates in pickup games in the open gym at nearby San Diego State. In 2005 he attended his first-ever Final Four, traveling to St. Louis to cheer on Michigan State.

  A fan recently asked Gates which sport he might have chosen if he hadn’t excelled in football or basketball. Gates said he most likely would’ve chosen boxing since he comes from a family that is heavily involved in the sport. Gates’ paternal grandfather, Henry Hank, was a professional boxer in the 1950s and ’60s. Hank fought 97 professional bouts as a middleweight and light heavyweight, winning 62 of them. His 1962 fight against Joey Giardello was voted the Fight of the Year by Ring Magazine. Old photos show a striking resemblance between Gates and his grandfather, and many in the family believe it is from Hank that Gates inherited his amazing athletic ability.

  Had Gates not opted for a career in athletics, he most likely would’ve tried his hand as a firefighter. Last year, a group of firefighters attended a training camp practice and one of the most enamored Bolts was Gates. He told them that long ago he’d dreamed of being one of them. Several weeks later, Assistant San Diego Fire Chief Jeff Carle returned to Chargers Park and presented Gates with his very own SDFD firefighters jacket with his own name and number on it.  Gates enjoys watching movies and live comedy shows.

  TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed with Chargers, May 2, 2003…signed six-year contract Aug. 22, 2005.

 2009: 37-yard reception in week 2 vs Baltimore. Week 4 breakout game with first 100-yard effort since Nov. 25, 2007. Finished with 124 yards receiving and two touchdowns. It was also Gates' 10-career multi-touchdown game. Contributed to Chargers third touchdown play by drawing a 26-yard pass interference penalty. Finished week 6 with a team leading five receptions for 70 yards averaging 14.0 yards per catch. Week 7, recorded five receptions for 55 yards with an average of 11 yards per catch. Played in his 100th career game in week 8. Recorded three receptions for 49 yards. Led the team in receptions and yardage in week 10 vs. the Eagles with seven catches for 78 yards. Had his best performance of the season thus far in week 12 catching his 54th and 55th touchdown passes of his career. Finished the day with 118 receiving yards and was also selected as one of 50 greatest Chargers in team history. Finished with a career-high 167 receiving yards on eight catches in week 13 vs the Browns. Recorded another touchdown reception on a 3-yard pass from QB Philip Rivers in 15 vs. the Bengals. Week 16, set a new single-season yardage career-high after hauling in a 36-yard touchdown reception vs the Titans. Also moved into a tie with Gary Garrison for second-most touchdon catches in team history with 58. Voted to the 2009 Pro Bowl team as a starter. Scored a 12-yard touchdown reception from QB Philip Rivers in week 17 vs. the Washington Redskins.

  2008: Pro Bowl selection…48th-career TD catch late in 2Q of NFL International Series game vs. NO in London to move past Charlie Joiner and into third place on team’s all-time list…GW TD catch (eight yards) with 6:55 left in 4Q vs. KC Nov. 9…Chargers Alumni co-Offensive POM for December…season-high two TD catches Dec. 21 at TB were 50th and 51st of career…became fastest tight end in NFL history (92 games) to catch 50…previous record held by Jerry Smith (100 games) …also went over 5,000-yard barrier for career on frist TD to become second-fastest in league history to mark (Kellen Winslow, 69 games)…made two highlight-reel one-handed catches in Bucs game...led team with playoff-high eight catches in Jan. 5 AFC Wild Card Playoff OT win over Indy…DNP in Pro Bowl (ankle).

 2007: Pro Bowl starter…All-AFC by PFW and PFWA…caught 17-yard halfback-option pass TD from LT in 14-3 Opening Day win over Chicago… Game Ball from Head Coach Norv Turner after seven catches, 113 yards and TD Oct. 7 vs. Denver…TD catches of 49 and 31 yards vs. Houston Oct. 28...went over 4,000 career receiving yards in Texans’ game (68th of career) to become third-fastest TE in NFL history to 4,000...Kellen Winslow (58 games) and Mike Ditka (67)…also moved into eighth on team’s all-time receiving list and sixth on team’s career TD catches list…two more TD catches vs. Baltimore Nov. 25 (41 and 42) moved him into fifth on team’s TD rec. list…also vs. Ravens, moved into seventh on team’s rec. yards list…game-tying TD catch (two yards) with nine seconds left in 4Q of OT win at Tennessee Dec. 9…in OT, secured 11-yard catch on 3rd-and-4 during GW TD drive…left AFC Wild Card Playoffs vs. Tennessee with toe injury…played in Divisional Playoffs and Championship Game with injured toe, but DNP in Pro Bowl.

 2006: Pro Bowl…first-team All-Pro by AP, Sporting News, USA Today Sports Weekly, PFW and PFWA, SI and SI.com, and ESPN.com...All-AFC by PFW and PFWA...NFL.com All-Interview…57-yard catch-and-run TD in 1Q at SF Oct. 15, then second-longest of career…caught 19-yard TD pass from LT in 21-14 win over Oakland Nov. 26…Chargers Alumni POW after 104 yards and two TD catches Dec. 10 vs. Denver...first-career 100-yard game and TDs vs. Broncos…team-leading ninth TD catch (33 yards) in Dec. 31 season finale vs. Arizona… team’s leading receiver in Jan. 14 AFC Playoffs vs. NE.

 2005: Pro Bowl starter…first-team All-Pro by AP, Sporting News, SI and SI.com, ESPN.com, PFW and PFWA, and USA Today Sports Weekly…Chargers co-Offensive POY…PFW Midseason All-Pro…DNP Wk 1 vs. Dallas due to roster exemption…Chargers Alumni POW after season-high 10 catches and 145 yards vs. KC Oct. 30, along with career-high-tying with three TD catches...eight catches and 132 yards one week later at NY Jets Nov. 6…27-yard TD catch for 14-3 lead over Buffalo Nov. 20, but inj. foot in early 3Q and DNR…started following week at Washington and 24-yard catch on first play of OT immediated preceded GW 41-yard TD run…123 yards vs. Miami Dec. 11 to raise season total to new career-high of 997...career-high 13 catches vs. Dolphins, including eight-yard TD catch with 15 seconds left in 4Q.

 2004: Pro Bowl starter…first-team All-Pro by AP, Football Digest, Sporting News, SI and SI.com… second-team All-Pro by College & Pro Football News­weekly…All-NFL, All-AFC and All-Pro second-team by PFW and PFWA…NFL Alumni Association TE of Year…Chargers Offensive POY… season-high eight catches and 123 yards in season opener at Houston…Chargers Alumni POW after season-high three TD catches vs. New Orleans Nov. 7…first Chargers receiver with three TD catches in game since 1997 (Tony Martin vs. Baltimore) and first three-TD game by Bolts TE since 1983 (Kellen Winslow vs. Kansas City)… two TDs at KC Nov. 28 (10th and 11th of season) to set new team record for TEs, surpassing mark of 10 set by Winslow and Willie Frazier…TD catches vs. Chiefs raised total to eight in last four games, tying Wes Chandler for most in team history in four-game stretch…both TDs vs. Chiefs in 4Q, (18 and 11 yards)… career-long 72-yard TD catch in AFC West-clinching win at Cleveland Dec. 19…12th TD catch of season tied NFL record for TEs…four-yard TD catch at Indianapolis Dec. 26 was 13th of season to set new NFL record for TEs…DNP vs. KC Jan. 2…one-yard TD catch with 11 seconds left in 4Q forced OT in Wild Card Playoffs vs. NY Jets…also caught 21 and 44-yard passes during GT drive…12-yard TD catch from Peyton Manning for 28-7 lead in 2Q during 38-27 Pro Bowl win Feb. 13.

 2003: First-career TD catch vs. Minnesota Nov. 9 (4 yards) from Doug Flutie…18-yard TD pass from Flutie on final play of KC game Nov. 30… season-high 117 yards vs. GB Dec. 14, including season-long 48-yard catch… became first Chargers rookie with 100-yard receiving game since 1989 (Wayne Walker at Washington).

  COLLEGE: AP honorable mention All-America following senior season when he averaged 20.6 points and 7.7 rebounds at Kent State…first-team All-MAC and runner-up for MAC POY honors…led KSU to back-to-back MAC East Division titles (2001-02 and 2002-03)…sixth in school history with 1,216 points…spent first college semester at Michigan State...transferred to Eastern Michigan for spring semester in 1999, averaging 10.2 ppg and team-leading 7.4 rpg…transferred to College of Sequoias in California for 2000-01 season but DNP…general studies major. 

  PERSONAL: Born June 18, 1980 in Detroit, Michigan… led Detroit Central HS to Class A state championship as senior…first-team all-state in FB and BKB.