Why Antonio Gates was essential to the NFL and to San Diego

There wasn’t a lot for Chargers followers to cheer about in Los Angeles’ 2023 sport in opposition to the Denver Broncos in Week 14.

A season after one of many most embarrassing playoff losses in NFL historical past, the Chargers got here into the marketing campaign motivated to avenge that defeat and attain their potential of contending for a championship. As an alternative, on this Sunday, they have been 5-7, and their playoff possibilities have been nearly gone. SoFi Stadium, their house stadium, was lined in Denver orange by Broncos followers.

Then quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending proper index finger fracture within the first quarter, and as he exited, so did the Chargers’ season.

However amid a day and a season of disappointment, the group gave reeling followers a purpose to smile. At halftime, the crew held a ceremony to induct tight finish Antonio Gates into the Chargers Corridor of Fame.

“To the town of San Diego,” Gates stated, pausing because the Chargers contingent roared as loudly because it had that afternoon. “You supported me. You embraced a 22-year-old child from Detroit, and you’ll at all times be my second house.”

Gates performed 16 seasons within the NFL, 14 in San Diego and two in Los Angeles after the crew relocated. That transfer continues to be a sore spot for some followers who have been mum when Gates thanked Los Angeles and booed loudly when Gates thanked crew proprietor Dean Spanos and the Spanos household.

Whereas Gates by no means gained a championship, he was partly chargeable for ushering in an thrilling period of Chargers soccer that featured a few of the most profitable seasons in franchise historical past. The roars that day for Gates have been a reminder of how a lot Gates meant to a metropolis that had embraced him as their very own.

As Gates is inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame with Saturday’s enshrinement, many in San Diego shall be cheering the loudest.

“He was a man who simply match the town,” stated David Droegemeier, a San Diego native and co-host of the “Locked on Chargers” podcast. “A man who appears like he is bought to be from right here regardless that he wasn’t. He was ours.”

From the start, Gates’ journey to the NFL appeared farfetched.

Upon leaving Detroit Central Excessive Faculty, Gates accepted a soccer scholarship from Michigan State, which was then led by coach Nick Saban. However Saban would not let Gates play each soccer and basketball. Gates left Michigan State and by no means performed soccer in school.

After stops at Japanese Michigan and the Faculty of the Sequoias, a group school in Visalia, California, Gates ended up at Kent State as a junior and have become among the finest basketball gamers in program historical past. As a junior, Gates led Kent State, a 10-seed, to the Elite Eight in 2002, the deepest run the college has ever made within the NCAA event. His jersey — No. 44 — was retired in 2010, as Gates grew to become the fourth males’s basketball participant in class historical past to obtain such an honor.

Regardless of Gates’ dominance at Kent State, he wasn’t projected to be an NBA participant primarily due to his dimension; he was a 6-foot-4 energy ahead, a place the place NBA gamers are on common about 5 inches taller. So, Gates turned again to soccer, figuring out for NFL groups, who have been intrigued by his bodily traits. The Chargers determined to signal him as an undrafted free agent in 2003, however he was a protracted shot to make the crew.

Linebacker Stephen Cooper, an undrafted free agent like Gates, was Gates’ roommate on the Vacation Inn throughout that 2003 coaching camp. Because the Chargers started to make last cuts, Cooper remembers the crew having two spots left, however he and Gates had satisfied themselves that simply considered one of them would make the crew.

After they realized they each did, that they had a muted celebration of their resort room; it is a second Cooper will always remember, particularly contemplating how a lot Gates would go on to perform as a decent finish.

“We ran across the room attempting to not be too loud and excited simply because we did not wish to be disrespectful to our different teammates who did not make it,” stated Cooper, who performed 9 seasons for the Chargers. “Out of all of the moments with Antonio, that is one I bear in mind probably the most.”

Gates’ success modified the tight finish place. His basketball background was evident in how he boxed out defenders and high-pointed the soccer like he was getting a rebound on the hardwood.

Present Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh stated Gates stands out as the primary tight finish to be the point of interest of a crew’s offense: “First man I can bear in mind catching 10, 12, 13, 14 balls in a sport … biggest of all time.”

Gates’ achievements made groups at each stage take possibilities on former basketball gamers. Probably the most notable is tight finish Jimmy Graham, who performed one yr of soccer after 4 years on the College of Miami’s basketball crew. Graham was drafted within the third spherical by the New Orleans Saints and went on to turn out to be one of many league’s greatest tight ends. He performed 13 seasons and made 5 Professional Bowls.

“With out [Gates], I would not have even been given this chance or been given the chance to play in school,” Graham advised reporters in 2012. “He paved the best way for me.”

Whereas Gates’ dimension wasn’t a match for NBA energy ahead, he made a great NFL tight finish. He was too fast to be lined by most linebackers and too robust to be lined by defensive backs, placing D-coordinators in a bind every week.

“You knew if a crew desires to go one-on-one with him, he will kill them,” former Chargers security Eric Weddle stated. “He was a matchup nightmare.”

It did not take lengthy for Gates to turn out to be one of many league’s greatest tight ends. He was a first-team All-Professional by his second season, the primary of three consecutive choices. Gates’ breakout got here in his second marketing campaign, in 2004, when he completed with 964 yards and 13 touchdowns. Within the first sport that season, the Chargers confronted the Houston Texans, with whom present Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman was the crew’s quarterbacks coach. Gates caught each goal, ending with eight receptions for 123 yards within the win.

“It does not occur fairly often the place you go, ‘Who is that this man?'” Roman stated with a smile. “However all people on the sideline was going, ‘Who is that this man?'”

Gates is the NFL’s all-time chief in receiving touchdowns by a decent finish (116) and the Chargers’ all-time chief in receptions (955) and receiving yards (11,841). Behind these stats are the numerous accidents his former teammates bear in mind Gates taking part in by.

Forward of the 2007 AFC Championship Recreation, Gates’ standing was unsure. He had dislocated his huge toe within the Chargers’ win within the wild-card spherical over the Tennessee Titans; the harm was extreme sufficient that he left the sport on a medical cart. Nonetheless, Gates performed by it within the Chargers’ divisional-round win over the Indianapolis Colts and their AFC Championship Recreation loss to the New England Patriots.

Former Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman stated the picture of Gates forward of the convention championship sport on the coaching desk, the place he remembers medical doctors numbing Gates’ foot, sticks with him and is among the many causes Gates meant a lot to the group.

“From the ankle down, he could not really feel something,” Merriman stated. “And also you assume, man, [that] anyone of his caliber that is already executed a lot in his profession would simply go and take that threat, my respect stage for him at that time simply went by the roof.”

Whereas the Chargers are primarily related to not residing as much as expectations and have by no means gained a Tremendous Bowl, they’ve had a few of the league’s greatest gamers, together with quarterback Philip Rivers, working again LaDainian Tomlinson, linebacker Junior Seau, broad receiver Lance Alworth, QB Dan Fouts and tight finish Kellen Winslow.

Nonetheless, lots of these stars went on to complete their careers elsewhere. Gates, Fouts and Winslow are the three in that group to play for the Chargers their total careers, with Winslow taking part in 9 seasons and Fouts 15. Gates’ 16 years as a Charger throughout maybe probably the most transformative years of the franchise’s historical past, when the group alienated lots of its followers with the transfer to L.A., will at all times make Gates’ relationship with San Diego completely different.

“I feel it’s simply actually particular to have anyone who began his profession in San Diego and stayed with the crew your entire time,” Droegemeier stated. “However with Antonio, he was a man who at all times did issues the appropriate approach, and he was additionally simply such a playmaker. It is clearly very easy to resonate with these sorts of gamers.”