Dan Fouts and Charlie Joiner always make it a priority to return to Canton, Ohio each summer.
The pair of Hall of Famers are already looking forward to extra special festivities in August.
With Antonio Gates set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame later this year, Chargers.com recently caught up with Fouts and Joiner to chat about the Bolts legendary tight end.
Their prevailing thought? They were rooting for Gates from afar.
"He should have made it last year, his first year on the ballot, but he's in now and he'll be in forever," Fouts said. "His numbers were Hall of Fame worthy."
Joiner echoed Fouts' sentiments.
"I was elated for him because last year I was really disappointed," Joiner said. "A guy who has those kind of statistics, he should have been in last year."
"He's not like me, you know? I barely got in," Joiner quipped. "Just look at his stats, this guy belongs in the Hall of Fame, especially when you look at other tight ends in the league."
Gates, of course, has 116 touchdown catches, which is an NFL record for tight ends and a number that ranks seventh all-time.
But he also tallied 93 red-zone touchdown catches from the 20-yard line and in. For reference, those 93 scores would rank 14th all-time on their own ... and are one more than Rob Gronkowski had in his entire career.
His 955 career receptions are a Chargers record and rank 21st all-time and fourth among tight ends.
And his 11,841 yards are also a franchise record and also fourth among players at his position.
Fouts went into the Hall of Fame in 1993 with Joiner following three years later.
Even now, Fouts called the entire experience a "humbling" process.
With Gates' induction ceremony set for August 2, both Fouts and Joiner said they can't wait to be there in person to celebrate Gates.
"I don't miss it. There's no greater honor for me than the Hall of Fame," Joiner said. "I mean, I'm in the same Hall of Fame as Jim Brown? That's still wild to me."
Fouts noted while he doesn't know Gates too well at the moment, that will soon change.
"Not as much as I'm going to because he's going into the Hall," Fouts said with a smile. "As a member of the Hall, you really get to know each other.
"I'm just thrilled for him," Fouts added.
