Antonio Gates isn’t done just yet.
Gates, the 38-year-old tight end who has been out of action all offseason, signed a one-year deal with the Chargers today, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
There had been talk all offseason that Gates might return for one more go-round, but it didn’t materialize until today, when the two sides finally worked out a deal. Gates shouldn’t need too much time to get on the same page with Philip Rivers and get ready to play. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him on the field when the Chargers’ season starts a week from today.
Although he doesn’t have a whole lot left (last year Gates had a career-low 319 receiving yards despite playing in all 16 games), the Chargers still think he can bring something to the table.
Gates is one of the best tight ends in NFL history, with 927 career catches for 11,508 yards and 114 touchdowns. He’s a future Hall of Famer, but it’ll be at least one more year before that Hall of Fame career ends.
