The four-person class is the first since 2005 with fewer than six inductees. Adam Vinatieri also missed out in his first chance.

Gates consistently provided key catches, especially on third downs, and served as a safety value for Chargers quarterbacks when plays went off script.

Los Angeles Chargers great Antonio Gates was officially enshrined as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class at NFL Honors. Before that much-deserved reveal, though, Gates himself found out about it in a heartwarming fashion.