Los Angeles Chargers tight end Antonio Gates is in his 16th season and it sounds like he has no plans of retiring quite yet according to Steve Wyche.
There is still more to be done. @Chargers TE Antonio Gates is fired up about where this team is headed and about possibly coming back for another season. @nflnetwork pic.twitter.com/l3mHa0gk7R
— Steve Wyche (@wyche89) December 28, 2018
Gates explained how he knows he can still play the game at age 38. Most players at his position only dream of playing the game as long as Gates has.
“I try to evaluate myself. I can still beat a linebacker, I feel like I can still play. The hard part is I set the bar at a certain level, but I've adjusted to my role and I just love my teammates, I love this staff. I've learned some new dances. I'm just having so much fun.It's just beautiful to know that we're also going to the playoffs already. It's not like we have to win our last game to get in. We know we are going and this is a special team. At times in my career I took all this for granted. When I came in we were winning. I know now this takes work. I'm on third base and I'm heading home but I'm feeling so good about all this.”
Although Gates is no longer a focal point of the offense like he used to, he believes he can still be a great contributor to the team despite other players being the center of game plans.
“I've had to adjust to a role in which I'm not getting 12 or 13 targets a game, play a supporting role, but that's fine. It's just beautiful to be in this position. All this hard work. Not just this season but over my career. I just embrace it.”
Antonio Gates has 333 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 28 receptions so far this season.
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