NFL Legend Antonio Gates Talks Hall of Fame Snub, Compares it to Losing in Super Bowl (2024)
Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Former NFL tight end Antonio Gates was not elected to the Hall of Fame in his first year on the ballot, a pretty shocking snub given his legendary career.
He'll ultimately get in, but he told USA Today's Josh Peter on Friday that he couldn't help but be disappointed.
"I think the disheartening part of when you don't make it is is that you made it so close,'' he said. "It's like getting to the championship and losing. ... But how you handle it moving forward is the most important thing."
He added that he felt like he "let the people who went through the journey with me down. You know, like your family. The people who understands what's beneath the surface, all the work you put in, the coaching staffs, the players who played with you. They're like, 'What?' So I think that's one of those things where you think, man, in due time we'll get there, man."
Shawne Merriman @shawnemerriman
Antonio Gates not being a first ballot is an absolute embarrassment, they should be ashamed.
Gregg Rosenthal @greggrosenthal
It is a fantastic class. But Gates' peak was more dominant than literally anyone in this awesome class.
There's zero question he'll eventually be inducted into the Hall of Fame despite the initial snub. Gates was an eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro selection in his NFL career (2003-08) and ranks third all-time among tight ends in receptions (955), third in receiving yards (11,841) and first in touchdowns (116).
He helped usher in the age of the explosive, play-making tight end that culminated in players like Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce, and anything less than an induction next year would be an incredible disservice. This year's group was an incredibly strong class, but Gates deserved to be in it.
"I think the disheartening part of when you don't make it is is that you made it so close,'' he said. "It's like getting to the championship and losing. ... But how you handle it moving forward is the most important thing." He added that he felt like he "let the people who went through the journey with me down.
Some voters held it against Gates that he served a four-game suspension in 2015 for a failed performance-enhancing drug test. Others may have simply felt he wasn't as great a player as those who were chosen this year.
Legendary tight end Antonio Gates was denied entrance to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the Class of 2024. The news came as a shock to those across the football universe.
The NFL unveiled its 2024 class of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees, which included legends like Julius Peppers, Devin Hester and Dwight Freeney. However, there were some great NFL veterans who didn't make the cut this time, including iconic Los Angeles Chargers tight end Antonio Gates.
Defensive ends Julius Peppers and Dwight Freeney and linebacker Patrick Willis were named to the Class of '24, as were Devin Hester, the league's record-holder for kickoff and punt returns for touchdowns, and wide receiver Andre Johnson.
Gabriel was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 1971 and the College Football Hall of Fame in 1989. Gabriel said his lack of postseason success in the NFL – he was 0-2 in the playoffs in his career – is the only thing that kept him out of Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.
Are there any NFL teams without a Hall of Famer? Currently, there are three teams in the NFL that do not have a Hall of Famer from their ranks. These three teams are the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carolina Panthers, and Houston Texans.
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