In honor of his achievement, the Chargers celebrated by adopting a goat in Gates's honor. The goat, a nod to the team considering Gates the "greatest of all time" tight end, is named Gatesy after him. Gatesy resides at the San Diego Animal Sanctuary and Farm.

Gates consistently provided key catches, especially on third downs, and served as a safety value for Chargers quarterbacks when plays went off script.

Antonio Gates, one of the best players in the history of the Los Angeles Chargers and one of the best tight ends of all time, has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The announcement came during the NFL Honors Awards Show on Thursday night.

Los Angeles Chargers great Antonio Gates gets another shot at the Hall of Fame on Thursday after being robbed of first-ballot status one year ago. Gates fell short in 2024 despite being one of the names to revolutionize the position in the NFL. It was perhaps the biggest snub for the Hall since the treatment of Terrell Owens years ago.

Gates, the NFL’s All-Time Leader in Touchdown Receptions by a Tight End, Headlines Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025 revealed Thursday night at NFL Honors in New Orleans

Antonio Gates was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday. Before it was officially announced to the public, Gates' former teammate and Chargers great LaDainian Tomlinson surprised him with the big news.

Los Angeles Chargers legend Antonio Gates was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2025 this week. Gates, one of the best to ever play his position in the NFL, was first eligible one year ago and headlined a smaller,