Tag: Chargers Hall of Fame

Antonio Gates named Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist

The eight-time Pro Bowler was among 15 finalists for enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Chargers great Antonio Gates was among 15 modern-era finalists named on Wednesday for the 2024 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Gates never played college football despite initially enrolling at Michigan State with the hopes of playing basketball and football. He transferred to two schools before ending up at Kent State.

This is where he helped the Golden Flashes reach the Elite Eight of the 2002 NCAA tournament. He switched to football after graduation, signing with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003.

Little did many know when Gates entered the league that he would go on to be one of the best to play the sport and revolutionize the tight end position.

Gates finished his 16-year career, all with the Bolts, with 955 receptions for 11,841 yards and 116 touchdowns. His 116 touchdown receptions are the most by a tight end in NFL history.

Gates was a five-time All-Pro selection and made eight Pro Bowl teams.

Gates was recently inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.

Here are the 15 modern-era finalists:

  •     Eric Allen, cornerback
  •     Jared Allen, defensive end
  •     Willie Anderson, offensive tackle
  •     Jahri Evans, guard
  •     Dwight Freeney, defensive end
  •     Antonio Gates, tight end
  •     Rodney Harrison, safety
  •     Devin Hester, punt returner/kick returner/wide receiver
  •     Torry Holt, wide receiver
  •     Andre Johnson, wide receiver
  •     Julius Peppers, defensive end
  •     Fred Taylor, running back
  •     Reggie Wayne, wide receiver
  •     Patrick Willis, linebacker
  •     Darren Woodson, safety

The Class of 2024 will be unveiled before Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, NV. The class will be announced live on the “NFL Honors” telecast on February 8. They will then be enshrined in August in Canton, OH.

TE Antonio Gates to be inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame

Antonio Gates will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame against the Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

Former Chargers tight end Antonio Gates will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame on December 10th against the Broncos at SoFi Stadium.

The announcement came as a surprise to Gates himself, as the Chargers posted in a social media video:

Gates’ Chargers’ Hall of Fame induction will come before his first year of Pro Football Hall of Fame eligibility in 2024. It’s widely expected that the all-time leader in tight end touchdowns will get into Canton on his first ballot next year.

The former undrafted free agent went on to have an illustrious career in blue and yellow that spanned two decades in two cities. 2023 actually marks 20 years since the Chargers signed Gates as an undrafted free agent. He formally retired in 2020 after not playing in the 2019 season.

By the end of his career, Gates was an 8x Pro Bowler, 3x First Team All-Pro, 2x Second Team All-Pro and made the HOF All-2000s team. He finished his career with 11,841 receiving yards and 116 touchdowns. Perhaps the crowning achievement of his career was when he broke the tight end touchdown record in Los Angeles against the Miami Dolphins:

The Chargers are stingy about which numbers they formally retire even with their own Hall of Fame inductees, but it feels very likely (though not confirmed) that Gates’ No. 85 will be retired at the same ceremony.

Watch: Legendary Chargers coach Don Coryell inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame

Don Coryell is finally a Pro Football Hall of Famer.

Legendary Chargers coach Don Coryell was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday.

On behalf of Coryell, former quarterback Dan Fouts presented him for enshrinement as a member of the Class of 2023. Coryell died in 2010 at age 85.

Coryell coached the Chargers from 1978-1986, posting a 72-60 record. Under him, the Bolts won three division titles and played in four divisional playoff games and two AFC championship games.

But it’s not what he accomplished while serving as the head coach, it’s how he revolutionized the game. The Air Coryell offense marked the beginning of the NFL’s transformation from a run-first league to one where passing reigned supreme.

Fouts led the league in passing yards four straight seasons (1979-1982) and became the first player to surpass 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons. He was named to all six of his Pro Bowls under Coryell.

Coryell’s offense forced defensive coordinators to bring in extra defensive backs to slow the passing attack. We now refer to those packages as nickel and dime defenses.

Legendary Chargers HC Don Coryell elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Former Chargers HC Don Coryell got the call from Canton.

It’s been long overdue, but former Chargers head coach Don Coryell has finally been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Coryell coached the Chargers from 1978-1986, posting a 72-60 record. Under him, the Bolts won three division titles and played in four divisional playoff games and two AFC championship games.

But it’s not what he accomplished while serving as the head coach, it’s how he revolutionized the game. The “Air Coryell” offense marked the beginning of the NFL’s transformation from a run-first league to one where passing reigned supreme.

Quarterback Dan Fouts led the league in passing yards four straight seasons (1979-1982) and became the first player to surpass 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.

Coryell’s offense forced defenses to bring in extra defensive backs to slow the passing attack, which we refer to as nickel and dime defenses nowadays.

Coryell passed away on July 1, 2010 in La Mesa, CA at the age of 85.

6 former Chargers among modern-era nominees for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Find out who is representing the Chargers.

Six former Chargers have made the list of 122 modern-era players eligible for the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

They are as follows:

DB Antonio Cromartie

NT Lorenzo Neal

DL Leslie O’Neal

LB Takeo Spikes

DB Rodney Harrison

DB Bob Sanders 

It will be trimmed to a list of 25 semifinalists in November and then to 15 finalists in January.

The selection committee will meet after that to select the 2022 class, which will be enshrined next August.