Antonio Gates sheds tears of joy as Chargers welcome him to team's HOF

Antonio Gates is officially being inducted into the Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame.

The Chargers shared a video Wednesday announcing that the longtime tight end has been named a Hall of Fame inductee for the team in 2023. Gates' official ceremony will take place Dec. 10 during halftime of L.A.'s divisional matchup against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Gates got emotional during a team meeting after learning of his induction.

Gates, 43, will be the 41st member enshrined into the Chargers Hall of Fame, joining the likes of Kellen Winslow, Junior Seau, and LaDainian Tomlinson, among others.

"As I've said many times now, Antonio is not only one of the greatest Chargers to ever play the game, he's one of the greatest players in NFL history," Chargers owner Dean Spanos said Wednesday. "That couldn't be any truer today than it was at the time of his retirement.

"As the years have passed, and as the game has continued to evolve, it's impossible not to notice the impact Antonio has had on the modern NFL and the way teams utilize tight ends. Just as Kellen Winslow forever changed the position decades earlier, Antonio redefined what it meant to be a tight end in the 21st century."

A member of the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team, Gates announced his retirement in January 2020 after spending his entire 16-year career with the Chargers. The Kent State product called it quits with eight Pro Bowl berths and five All-Pro selections - including three first-team nods - under his belt.

Gates, who went undrafted in 2003, finished his career with 116 touchdown receptions, the highest mark ever among tight ends and seventh most in NFL history. He also racked up 955 receptions and 11,841 yards, both Chargers records.

Getting inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame might not be the last big ceremony for Gates, who'll be eligible for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year.