Gates (6-4, 260) is an ten-year tight end in his tenth year with the Chargers.
Antonio Gates, the San Diego Chargers’ all-time receptions leader, finally returned to 100 percent in 2011. Hampered by nagging foot injuries, Gates finally found comfort as the 2011 season motored along and he ended the year leading the team in receptions for the seventh time during his Hall of Fame career. For Gates, the highlight came on Christmas Eve in his hometown of Detroit, Mich., when he passed Charlie Joiner to become the Chargers’ all-time leading receiver with his 587th career catch. Gates finished the year with 593 catches, leaving him just seven away from 600, a mark that only four tight ends and 58 total players in NFL history have achieved.
Gates ended 2011 on a high note. He was voted to the AFC Pro Bowl squad for an eighth-consecutive season and in the Chargers’ season finale at Oakland, he recorded his first 100-yard game of the year and had a season-long 38-yard touchdown catch in a win over the Raiders. Gates’ touchdown catch against the Raiders was the 76th of his career, leaving him just five behind Lance Alworth’s team record of 81. Considering that Gates has had at least seven TD catches in every season since 2004, it’s a matter of when, not if Gates will pass the legendary “Bambi.”
From 2004-10, Gates was the only NFL player with at least eight touchdown catches in each of those seasons. Heading into 2012, he has 19 100-yard receiving games, tied with Anthony Miller for sixth in team history. Gates is a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team (2000-09) and one of the Chargers’ 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. In addition to being an eight-time Pro Bowl all-star, he’s been named first-team All-Pro three times during his career. Since his arrival in the NFL in 2003, Gates leads all tight ends in TD catches (76), while ranking third in receiving yards (7,783) and catches (593). To properly put Gates’ numbers into perspective, there are presently seven modern-era tight ends enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gates’ career touchdown total exceeds all seven. They include Winslow, John Mackey, Ozzie Newsome, Dave Casper, Jackie Smith, Charlie Sanders and Mike Ditka. Gates’ unique route to the NFL has been well-chronicled. When he signed with the Chargers in 2003, he had not played football 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, but when the 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, where in two seasons he helped lead the Golden Flashes to back-to-back Mid-American Conference championships and the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2002. Gates left the Kent, Ohio campus as the school’s sixth-leading scorer and he returned to the Kent, Ohio, campus in Feb. 2010 to have his No. 44 jersey retired by the school.
Gates’ basketball background has also had an impact on the community. Annually he serves as the honorary chairman for the Shoot to Cure HD, a speed free-throw shooting contest and event that raises money for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. He also hosts “Shop with a Charger,” a unique Christmas event for homeless, neglected and abused children. If Gates’ athletic career had not steered him toward football or basketball, it’s possible he may have fashioned a career in boxing.
His 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 that Gates inherited his athletic ability from him. Had Gates not opted for a career in athletics, he might have tried his hand as a firefighter. A couple of years ago, a group of firefighters attended a training camp practice and one of the most enamored players was Gates. He told several of them that long ago he’d dreamed of being a firefighter so several weeks later, the assistant San Diego fire chief returned to Chargers Park and presented Gates with a SDFD firefighters jacket with his own name and number.
Antonio Gates was motoring along at record-breaking pace in 2010 until a foot injury struck during the Chargers’ sixth game of the season in St. Louis. It turned out to be a torn plantar fascia in his right foot and the effect of the injury spoiled Gates’ run at history.
Gates still finished his season with a team-leading 10 touchdown catches, earning second-team All-Pro honors and an invitation to his seventh-straight Pro Bowl. He recently was voted by his peers as the 22nd best player in the NFL today. Gates is the only NFL player with at least eight touchdown catches in each of the last seven seasons.
Heading into 2011, Gates (529 career rec.) needs just one catch to tie LaDainian Tomlinson (530) for third in team history and 12 to tie Kellen Winslow (541) for second. Gates also has 18-career 100-yard receiving games, tied with John Jefferson for seventh in team history (playoffs incl.). He needs just one more to tie Anthony Miller (19) for sixth.
The only current Charger named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team (2000-09) and one of the Chargers’ 50 Greatest Players of All-Time, Team President Dean Spanos and General Manager A.J. Smith locked up Gates for the long haul in 2010, signing him to a six-year contract that will keep him in San Diego through 2015.
A seven-time Pro Bowler and a three-time first-team All-Pro, Gates’ career numbers rank among the NFL’s leading receivers at his position. From 2003-10, he leads all tight ends in TD catches (69), ranks second in receiving yards (7,005) and third in catches (529). When Darren Sproles led the Chargers with 59 catches in 2010, it ended Gates’ run of six-straight seasons (2004-09) leading the team.
To properly put Gates’ numbers into perspective, there are presently seven modern-era tight ends enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Gates’ career touchdown total exceeds all seven. They include Winslow, John Mackey, Ozzie Newsome, Dave Casper, Jackie Smith, Charlie Sanders and Mike Ditka.
Gates’ unique route to the NFL has been well-chronicled. When he signed with the Chargers in 2003, he had not played football 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, but when the 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, where in two seasons he helped lead the Golden Flashes to back-to-back conference championships and the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament in 2002. Gates left the Kent, Ohio campus as the school’s sixth-leading scorer and he returned to the Kent, Ohio, campus in Feb. 2010 to have his No. 44 jersey retired by the school.
Gates’ basketball background has also had an impact on the community. Annually he serves as the honorary chairman for the Shoot to Cure HD, a speed free-throw shooting contest and event that raises money for the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. He also hosts “Shop with a Charger,” a unique Christmas event for homeless, neglected and abused children.
If Gates’ athletic career had not steered him toward football or basketball, it’s possible he may have fashioned a career in boxing. His 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 that Gates inherited his athletic ability from him.
Had Gates not opted for a career in athletics, he might have tried his hand as a firefighter. A couple of years ago, a group of firefighters attended a training camp practice and one of the most enamored players was Gates. He told several of them that long ago he’d dreamed of being a firefighter so several weeks later, the assistant San Diego fire chief returned to Chargers Park and presented Gates with a SDFD firefighters jacket with his own name and number.
In July, Gates married the former Sasha Dindayal. The wedding took place in Del Mar, Calif.
TRANSACTION HISTORY: Signed with Chargers, May 2, 2003…signed six-year contract Aug. 22, 2005.
2011: Caught eight passes to move into third place on the team’s all-time receptions list with 537 in Week 1 against Minnesota...he passed LaDainian Tomlinson (530) for third place...gave the Chargers the 14-3 lead against the Jets in Week 7 with a two-yard touchdown catch early in the second quarter...it was his 70th-career TD catch making he and Atlanta’s Tony Gonzalez the only two tight ends in NFL history with at least 70 scoring catches...Gates finished the game with five catches (542 career) and moved past Kellen Winslow (541) for the second-most catches in team history...Caught a seven-yard pass on a 3rd-and-4 in the third quarter Week 13 against Jacksonville that moved him past Gary Garrison and into third on the team’s all-time receiving yardage list...Gates scored the Chargers’ first touchdown of the game Week 14 against Buffalo…he amassed 38 yards on the drive, passing Gary Garrison (7,562) for fourth on the team’s all-time list for career scrimmage yards…Gates finished the day with 7,606 career yards. Gates caught a second touchdown pass in the third quarter, the 75th of his career…he became the 27th player, and only the second tight end (Tony Gonzalez) in NFL history with 75 career touchdown catches. It was Gates’ 14th career multi-touchdown game and first of 2011...Gates became the Chargers’ all-time receptions leader on a six-yard catch on a 4th-and-5 early in the fourth quarter Week 16 against Detroit...it was his 587th career catch, surpassing Charlie Joiner’s 586.
2010: Pro Bowl...second-team Associated Press All-Pro... Sept. 13 at KC, three-yard TD catch in 1Q was his 60th career TD...61st in 1st Q and 62nd TD catch in 2Q vs. JAC Sept. 19 (tied w/Shannon Sharpe for second-most TD catches by a tight end)...Sept. 27 at SEA, 12-yard TD catch in 4Q, the 63rd of his career (ranked 2nd all time for TE)...TD in 2Q Oct. 10 at OAK...Oct. 24 vs NE, TD in 4Q...Oct. 31 vs. TEN, 48 yard TD catch in 3Q...TD catch in 4Q, Dec. 5 vs. OAK...
2009: Pro Bowl Starter...second-team All-Pro by AP and first-team by SI...Chargers co-Offensive POY...Oct. 24 at PIT, 124 yards and first two TDs of season...first TD on 3rd-and goal, plus catches of 26 on 3rd-and-8 and 16 on 3rd-and-15 during drive...over 100 yards on second TD...drew 26-yard PI penalty on separate TD drive...Game Ball after 118-yard, two TD game vs. KC Nov. 29...TDs were 54th and 55th of career, giving him third-most all-time among TEs...Dec. 13 at Dallas on receiving end of Philip Rivers’ 100th career TD pass...Game Ball after career-high 167 yards at CLE Dec. 6...catches of 56 and 18 yards during drive when LaDainian Tomlinson scored 150th career TD...Dec. 25 at TEN, on receiving end of 36-yard TD that gives him new season career-high for yards and puts Rivers over 4,000 yards for season...moves into tie with Gary Garrison for second-most TD catches in team annals (58)... 59th career TD catch Jan. 3 vs. WAS for second on team TD receptions list.
2008: Pro Bowl selection…48th-career TD catch late 2Q vs. NO in London to move past Charlie Joiner for third-most TDs team history…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 TDs Dec. 21 at TB were 50th and 51st of career…fastest tight end in NFL history to 50 (92 gms), beating Jerry Smith (100)…over 5,000 career yards on first TD...second-fastest to 5K (Winslow, 69 gms)…two one-handed catches in TB game ...team-high eight catches in Jan. 5 Wild Card OT win vs. IND…DNP in Pro Bowl (ankle).
2007: Pro Bowl starter…All-AFC by PFW and PFWA…17-yard halfback-option TD catch from Tomlinson in 14-3 Opening Day win vs. CHI…Game Ball after 113-yard and TD Oct. 7 vs. DEN…TDs of 49 and 31 yards vs. HOU Oct. 28...over 4,000 career receiving yards in Texans’ game (68th career)...third-fastest TE in NFL history to 4K behind Winslow (58 gms) and Mike Ditka (67)…two TD catches vs. BAL Nov. 25 (41 and 42 yards) to crack top-five on team’s TD reception list…gametying TD (two yards) with :09 left in 4Q of OT win at TEN Dec.
9…in OT, 11-yard catch on 3rd-and-4 of GW TD drive…toe injury in Wild Card vs. TEN…played in Divisional Playoffs and Championship Game with inj. 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 TD at SF Oct. 15 is career second-longest…19-yard TD catch from Tomlinson in 21-14 win vs. Oakland Nov. 26…Chargers Alumni POW after 104 yards and two TDs Dec. 10 vs. DEN...first-career 100-yard game and TDs vs. Broncos…ninth TD catch in Dec. 31 season finale vs. ARI…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…tied team record for catches by TE (89) and yards (1,101) were most by Bolts’ TE since ’83 (Winslow)...second TE in NFL history (Todd Christensen, ’83) with 1,100-yard, 10 TD season...23 TD catches between 2004-05, most ever by TE over two-year span...DNP Wk 1 vs. Dallas (roster exemption)…Chargers Alumni POW after tying career-high with three TDs and season-high 10 catches and 145 yards Oct. 30 vs. KC...132 yards week later at NYJ…27-yard TD catch for 14-3 lead over BUF Nov. 20, but inj. foot in 3Q and DNR…started following week at WAS and 24-yard catch on first play of OT immediated preceded GW 41-yard TD run…123 yards vs. MIA Dec. 11 to raise season total to new career-high of 997...career-high 13 catches vs. Dolphins, including eight-yard TD with :15 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 News weekly…All-NFL, All-AFC and All-Pro second-team by PFW and PFWA…NFL Alumni Association TE of Year… Chargers Offensive POY…season-high 123 yards in Week 1 at Houston…Chargers Alumni POW after season-high three TDs vs. NO Nov. 7…first Chargers receiver with three TD catchess in game since '97 (Tony Martin vs. BAL.) and first three-TD game by Bolts TE since ’83 (Winslow vs. KC)…10th and 11th TDs in 4Q at KC Nov. 28 to set new single-season mark for TEs (Winslow and Willie Frazier, 10)…TDs vs. Chiefs were eight in last four games, tying Wes Chandler for most by Charger in four-game stretch… career-long 72-yard TD in AFC West-clinching win at CLE Dec. 19…12th TD of season to tie NFL record for TEs…set TE single-season TD record with 13th at IND Dec. 26…DNP vs. KC Jan. 2…one-yard TD catch with :11 left in 4Q forced OT in Wild Card vs. NYJ…21 and 44-yard catches during drive…12- yard TD from Peyton Manning for 28-7 lead in 2Q of 38-27 Pro Bowl win Feb. 13.
2003: First-career TD Nov. 9 vs. MIN on pass from Doug Flutie…season-high 117 yards vs. GB Dec. 14, including season-long 48-yard catch…first 100-yard receiving game by Chargers
COLLEGE: Honorable mention AP All-America as senior after averaging 20.6 ppg and 7.7 rpg 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 in Spring ’99 and averaged 10.2 ppg and team-leading 7.4 rpg…transferred to College of Sequoias in Calif. 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.
