COSTA MESA, CA — With fans continuing to be in attendance in droves, they were treated to seeing the all-time touchdown leader for tight ends in Antonio Gates. Gates played in 236 career games all for the Chargers as an undrafted rookie from Kent State switching sports from basketball to football. Gates work ethic and determination along with the ability to utilize his basketball skills for the tight end position in ways that confuse defenses.
Gates made an appearance on Saturday morning at Chargers camp to check out many of his former teammates such as wide receiver Keenan Allen, Joey Bosa, and others. He recalled when he showed up for Training Camp there were two-a-days in comparison to the current time where players just have one day camps. Gates was there to view the franchise quarterback Justin Herbert, a young player he has high hopes for success in his second year.
“His natural ability at the position, natural leadership at the position and in my opinion he’s already one of the better quarterbacks in this league,” Gates said about quarterback Justin Herbert. “His transition in terms of his first year understand that this is my expectations now going into the second year because that’s where it gets challenging. (Because) we’ve seen what he can do to maintain that level and that focus it takes it a lot.”
The 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year has higher expectations especially leading this team to the playoffs and hopefully a Super Bowl opportunity in their home stadium.
Gates also signed autographs for many fans and even wore the Chargers fan belt as many cheered him on.
Gates reflected on his former teammate and Chargers running back LaDianian Tomlison and incredible he was on the field.
“You can look up and he changed direction and he’ll run into you, so you had to be focused on what you need to do because like this it could be a big play,” Gates said on the talent of Tomlinson. “When he left I was really able to determine how great he was. You’re talking about a guy who changes the perception of an offense, changes the perception of teams that’s coming in to stop us from a defensive standpoint. You’re going to see eight in the box. I had some good back like Ryan Mathews, Melvin Gordon, but he (Tomlinson) was the only back where we made him if you can make this tackle we’ll deal with that at the line of scrimmage, and the safety is his. It just made the game easier.“
Gates was also asked by Sports Illustrated’s Fernando Ramirez on who the greatest tight end is to him? Gates reflected quickly, smiled and said, “I have this debate with Kellen Winslow Sr., me and Shannon Sharpe go at it all the time, and obviously with the incoming guys now and I think everybody in their own respectful way have some of the similar impacts to their own organizations.
“I remember Dallas Clark, Jeremy Shockey, I don’t hear Shockey’s name a lot, I don’t hear Clark’s name a lot, but those guys were some of the guys that allowed me to be Antonio Gates… pushed me to be Antonio Gates. I felt when I got here the position was not the way it was when I left. Seeing guys play the position at a level that I knew tight ends were catching four of five touchdowns a year, and now they’re catching like ten. I had this basketball style and now I see so much now, this little pivot route, those routes were like natural for me and I’m glad the position itself has come a long way.”
Gates dedication paid career dividends as he believes one day he’ll have an opportunity to put on that Gold jacket in Canton. Gates looked well and when asked if he could still play in today’s game, he answered with a smile that he had one play left in him and then he’s hitting the sidelines.
