Antonio Gates (2017) - Hall of Fame (2024)

Hall of Fame Video

Antonio Gates played two seasons as a power forward on the Kent State men’s basketball team and finished with a record of 52-15 in two seasons with the Golden Flashes. Gates guided Kent State to their second consecutive MAC Tournament title and earned berths in the 2002 NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament.

During the NCAA Tournament, Gates’ performances helped Kent State reach the Elite Eight as a 10-seed by upsetting 7-seed Oklahoma State, 2-seed Alabama and 3-seed Pittsburgh. Gates helped Kent State capture its first regular season MAC Championship in school history after a 24-5 overall record with a 17-1 record in the MAC.

Gates earned Honorable Mention All-American honors from the Associated Press his senior season after averaging 20.6 ppg and 7.7 rpg. Gates was a two-time All-MAC selection & ranks 16th in school history with 1,216 points. His jersey number, 44, was retired on Feb. 27, 2010, making him just the fourth Golden Flash to receive the honor.

Following his career at Kent State, Gates turned his athletic ability into a legendary tight end with the NFL’s San Diego Chargers. Gates holds the all-time NFL record for touchdowns by a tight end with 111 touchdowns. He is one of three tight ends to ever record more than 850 receptions (897), is the third tight end in NFL history to surpass 11,000 receiving yards.

Gates is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection, a five-time All-Pro selection, including three on the First Team, a member of the NFL’s All-Decade Team (2000-2009), was named one of the San Diego Chargers’ 50 Greatest Players of All-Time. Gates is the Chargers’ all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, and was voted by his teammates as the Chargers’ Offensive Player of the Year (2014) for the fourth time in his career.