NFL Legend Antonio Gates on Potentially Reaching Hall of Fame: 'Stay Steady' (Exclusive)

We spoke to Antonio Gates about inching closer to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

By Brian Jones

The NFL recently announced the finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024 and legendary tight end Antonio Gates leads the list. It's likely Gates will be one of the inductees but he is not thinking that far ahead. PopCulture.com spoke to Gates shortly after he was named a semifinalist, and he's approaching the journey the same way he approached his playing career. 

"I just stay steady. I stay in the moment," Gates told PopCulture. "Whatever's bestowed upon me, I receive it, but yet I stay steady because I know there's still some ways to go. So I'm never in a situation where I'm just so content with something. I just keep grinding, I keep working, I keep moving forward towards the ultimate goal, which is to be a pro football Hall of Famer and that would be the next step. Being a semi-finalist is the next step. And it's like unfinished business. It's not done, but yet it is gratitude towards the fact that I was able to make it to that level because I know so many people and so many players that would've loved to be just in this position alone."

Gates, 43, played his entire career with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers (2003-2018) and became one of the most prolific tight ends in history. He reached the Pro Bowl eight times, was named to the All-Pro Team six times and is a member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. Gates finished with 955 receptions for 11,841, yards and 116 touchdowns, which is the most by a tight end in NFL history. He's also third all-time in yards and receptions. 

Gates said once he's officially inducted into the Hall of Fame, he can start planning for the ceremony. "Even when I played, I was worried about the weekend practice, then I worry about the game on the game day," Gates explained. "After the game, I worry about recovery. More so, I'm in the present and I hope for the future, but I stay in the present." 

When looking back on his career, Gates is proud of the special moments he created. "I played for 16 years. So it's funny because your first few years are very instrumental to you," Gates said. "Although I was able to do some phenomenal things at the end of my career. I remember my first catch, right? My first catch was on a guy named Rod Woodson. .... So those are monumental moments that I constantly had throughout my career. Oh, okay. I made a catch. I became the Chargers all-time leader in receiving yards. Oh, I made this touchdown. I became the, so I have so many different moments.

"I don't have a special moment. I think all those moments makes up Antonio Gates collectively. And that's what I would like to say. I got so many different moments that makes up Antonio Gates that it's very hard to pinpoint one because it's not one moment that makes up Antonio Gates."

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