Antonio Gates will likely see himself chosen for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this Thursday night at the annual NFL Honors.
The legendary former Los Angeles Chargers tight end is widely regarded as one of the preeminent weapons to ever play the position. His numbers certainly reflect that.
Gates’ 955 career receptions and 11,841 receiving yards are both good for third all-time among tight ends. His 116 career touchdown receptions aren’t only good for first among tight ends but are also the seventh-most of any player. Put another way, Gates’ 116 touchdown grabs are one less than Julio Jones (66) and Cooper Kupp (51) have combined.
Scoring points is the name of the game, and few did it as prolifically as Gates. The former Kent State basketball player went from undrafted to the pantheon and helped pave the way for modern standouts like Travis Kelce in the process. Now his son is hoping to follow in his footsteps.
Who Is Antonio Gates Jr.?
Like his old man, Antonio Gates Jr. is also a pass catcher on the gridiron. Gates Jr. is a big body but not quite big enough to play in-line tight end like his father. Instead, the 6’2″, 195-pounder lines up at wide receiver. Right about now, he should be gearing up for spring practices ahead of his redshirt sophomore season with the Michigan State Spartans.
Gates Jr. was a highly coveted recruit coming out of Fordson High School in Dearborn, Mich. He was rated a four-star prospect and a top-50 wide receiver by multiple respected outlets including ESPN and 247Sports. That’s due, in large part, to the 85 receptions, 1,675 yards, and 26 touchdowns that Gates Jr. racked up between his junior and senior seasons.
Gates Jr. saw limited action during his redshirt freshman season in 2023, catching five balls for 82 yards. Of course, that’s unsurprising. Most of those playing college football spend a lot of time observing in Year 1. The fact that Gates Jr. saw action in all 12 Spartans games and earned a letter serves as a testament to his progression.
Antonio Gates Jr's first career catch is a BEAUTY🔥
He is the son of NFL legend Antonio Gates Sr
— PFF College (@PFF_College) September 9, 2023
He did manage to display a proclivity for the big play, not to mention the end zone, on par with his father on at least one occasion last year; Gates Jr. managed to get loose deep downfield late in a game against Richmond, breaking free for a 45-yard touchdown grab.
Gates Jr. spoke about his father’s influence during an interview with The Detroit News back when he was in high school:
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“My dad helps me a lot with football. He teaches me so much, like certain things about taking care of your body and eating right,” Gates Jr. said.
“I think he was at every game my sophomore year. It was kind of hard because I can’t mess up in front of my dad. But really, he’s not the type of dad to be on me like that. He just says, ‘Do your best son.'”
Gates Jr.’s got the unenviable task of following in the footsteps of a Hall of Famer. It’s a brave undertaking to pursue the art of touchdown-scoring when your namesake is one of the best to ever do it. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure as his role at Michigan State (presumably) increases.
Gates Jr. does notably have one leg up on his father, though: He’s the only half of this particular father-son duo to have scored a collegiate touchdown.
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