Antonio Gates facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonio Gates
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Gates with the San Diego Chargers in 2016
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| Born | June 18, 1980 Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Kent State University | ||||||||||||
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Football career |
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| No. 85 | |||||||||||||
| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||||||
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| Height: | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 255 lb (116 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | Central (Detroit) | ||||||||||||
| Undrafted: | 2003 | ||||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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Antonio Ethan Gates Jr. (born June 18, 1980) is a former American football player. He played his entire 16-year career as a tight end for the San Diego and Los Angeles Chargers in the National Football League (NFL). He is considered one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.
Gates is famous for his unusual path to the NFL. He played college basketball, not football, at Kent State University. Because he didn't play college football, he was not chosen in the NFL draft. The Chargers signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2003.
He became one of the best players in the league. Gates was selected for the Pro Bowl eight times and was named an All-Pro six times. He holds the NFL record for the most touchdown catches by a tight end, with 116. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2025.
Contents
Early Life and High School
Antonio Gates was born in Detroit, Michigan. He was a talented athlete from a young age. In high school, he was a star player in both football and basketball at Central High School.
College Basketball Career
Gates chose to focus on basketball in college. He first went to Michigan State University, hoping to play both sports. However, the football coach, Nick Saban, wanted him to play only football. So, Gates decided to focus on basketball and transferred to Eastern Michigan University.
He later transferred to Kent State University. As a power forward for the Kent State Golden Flashes, he had two amazing seasons.
- Junior Year: He helped his team win the conference championship. They made it to the Elite Eight in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, which was a huge achievement.
- Senior Year: He was named an honorable mention All-American after averaging over 20 points per game.
In 2010, Kent State retired his jersey number, 44, to honor his incredible college career.
Professional Football Career
From Basketball Court to Football Field
After college, scouts told Gates he might not be the right size for the NBA. So, he decided to try out for the NFL, even though he had not played football since high school. Many teams were interested, but he chose to work out for the San Diego Chargers. The Chargers saw his potential and signed him right away in 2003.
Rise to Stardom (2003–2006)
In his first season, Gates quickly moved from a backup player to a starter. He showed great promise with 24 catches for 389 yards.
His second season in 2004 was a breakout year. He caught 81 passes for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns. This set a new NFL record for the most touchdowns in a season by a tight end. For his amazing performance, he was selected for his first Pro Bowl and named a first-team All-Pro.
Over the next two seasons, Gates continued to be one of the best tight ends in the league. He had over 1,100 receiving yards in 2005 and helped the Chargers win their division in 2006. He was named to the Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in both years.
Peak Years and Injuries (2007–2012)
Gates remained a top player, but he began to deal with injuries. In 2007, he injured his toe before the playoffs. This made it harder for him to play, but he still helped the Chargers reach the AFC Championship game.
After having foot surgery in 2008, he returned in 2009 for one of his best seasons ever. He set a career-high with 1,157 receiving yards. He was named to his sixth straight Pro Bowl.
From 2010 to 2012, foot problems continued to bother him, but he still played at a high level. In 2011, he became the Chargers' all-time leader in receptions, passing team legend Charlie Joiner. By 2012, he and quarterback Philip Rivers had connected for 56 touchdowns, the most for any quarterback-tight end pair in the NFL at the time.
Later Career and Records (2013–2018)
Gates continued to be a reliable target for the Chargers. In 2014, he scored 12 touchdowns and became the team's all-time leader in receiving yards. He also became only the fourth tight end in NFL history to have over 10,000 career receiving yards.
In 2015, Gates was suspended for four games for violating the NFL's health and safety rules. When he returned, he scored his 100th career touchdown.
In 2017, he caught his 112th career touchdown pass. This set a new NFL record for the most touchdowns by a tight end, breaking the old record held by Tony Gonzalez.
After not being brought back at first, Gates re-signed with the Chargers for the 2018 season after another player was injured. He played one final year before retiring.
Retirement
Gates announced his retirement on January 14, 2020. He finished his career as the Chargers' leader in receptions (955), receiving yards (11,841), and touchdowns (116). In 2020, he joined the Chargers' front office as a Legends Ambassador.
Records and Awards
- Most career receiving touchdowns by a tight end (116)
- Ninth player in NFL history to catch 100+ career touchdowns
- Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (2025)
- 8-time Pro Bowl selection (2004–2011)
- 5-time All-Pro selection
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
- Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame
Chargers Franchise Records
- Most career receptions: 955
- Most career receiving yards: 11,841
- Most career receiving touchdowns: 116
Career Statistics
NFL
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Fumbles | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2003 | SD | 15 | 11 | 24 | 389 | 16.2 | 48 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2004 | SD | 15 | 15 | 81 | 964 | 11.9 | 72 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | SD | 15 | 15 | 89 | 1,101 | 12.4 | 38 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | SD | 16 | 16 | 71 | 924 | 13.0 | 57 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | SD | 16 | 16 | 75 | 984 | 13.1 | 49 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | SD | 16 | 16 | 60 | 704 | 11.7 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| 2009 | SD | 16 | 16 | 79 | 1,157 | 14.6 | 56 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| 2010 | SD | 10 | 10 | 50 | 782 | 15.6 | 48 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | SD | 13 | 13 | 64 | 778 | 12.2 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | SD | 15 | 15 | 49 | 538 | 11.0 | 34 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | SD | 16 | 15 | 77 | 872 | 11.3 | 56 | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| 2014 | SD | 16 | 14 | 69 | 821 | 11.9 | 34 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
| 2015 | SD | 11 | 4 | 56 | 630 | 11.3 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016 | SD | 14 | 9 | 53 | 548 | 10.3 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | LAC | 16 | 4 | 30 | 316 | 10.5 | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | LAC | 16 | 1 | 28 | 333 | 11.9 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Career | 236 | 190 | 955 | 11,841 | 12.4 | 72 | 116 | 8 | 6 | |
College Basketball
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2000 | Eastern Michigan | 18 | 15 | 24.2 | .518 | .167 | .582 | 7.4 | 1.3 | 1.0 | .7 | 10.2 |
| 2001–02 | Kent State | 36 | 36 | 32.3 | .518 | .250 | .706 | 8.1 | 2.7 | 1.2 | .4 | 16.0 |
| 2002–03 | Kent State | 31 | 31 | 33.3 | .478 | .349 | .709 | 7.7 | 4.1 | 1.5 | .2 | 20.6 |
| Career | 85 | 82 | 30.9 | .500 | .301 | .690 | 7.8 | 2.9 | 1.2 | .4 | 16.5 | |
Personal Life
Gates married model Sasha Dindayal in 2011. He has a son, Antonio Gates Jr., who also plays football. His son was a wide receiver for the Michigan State Spartans.
Gates has appeared on the TV show The League.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio Gates para niños
