Legendary Chargers tight end Antonio Gates received his gold jacket as he was officially inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday.
He caught 116 touchdown passes, all for the Chargers, over his 16-year NFL career. Longtime Chargers quarterback and eight-time Pro Bowler Phillip Rivers threw all but 27 of those scores. Gates was Rivers's favorite target over his 16-season tenure under center for the Chargers. Once Rivers was drafted with the fourth pick in 2004, he was Gates's quarterback for the rest of his career.
During his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, Gates got choked up as he spent time thanking his quarterback.
"Phil, what we had on that football field was special," he said as he wiped away tears in Canton. "You weren't just the guy throwing the ball, you were the heartbeat of the offense. Your fire, your passion, your IQ was unmatched. We saw the game the same way. You trusted me and I trusted you. And that trust led to some of the best moments of my career.
"I always knew where that ball was going Phil and I always knew it was coming with a purpose. Phillip Rivers, it was an absolute pleasure to have played with you."
"Philip Rivers, it was an absolute pleasure to play with you."
— NFL (@NFL) August 2, 2025
Antonio Gates shows love to the QB he caught 89 TDs from 🥹
HOF Enshrinement on @NFLNetwork
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Rivers and Gates combined for 89 touchdowns scored over their years playing together which is the third-most between a quarterback and receiver duo in NFL history. Rivers threw twice as many touchdowns to Gates than he did with any other receiver he threw the ball to.
Rivers will become eligible for the Hall of Fame next year and if he gets in, he'll have to find a way to top his favorite target's speech.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Antonio Gates Had Emotional Message for Phillip Rivers in Hall of Fame Speech.
