That's how to turn buckets into Canton.
Antonio Gates was a hooper.
Long before donning his gold jacket on Saturday in Canton, Gates was a stud college basketball player at Kent State University. He never played a single down of college football.
And that means he made history. He's the first player into the Pro Football Hall of Fame who never played college football.
Of course, he earned it.
The Chargers took a chance on Gates, and he proved it very worthwhile.
He caught 116 touchdowns in 16 seasons with the Chargers.
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Gates shared the story on Saturday in Canton in his Hall of Fame speech.
“Out of nowhere, coach Rob Murphy introduced me to a guy named Tim Brewster,” Gates said. “Tim Brewster, at the time, was the tight ends coach for the San Diego Chargers. Tim Brewster saw something in me. He would come and watch me play basketball, but he was confident I’d be an All-Pro tight end in three years.
“Switching sports can be a life-changing experience. The unexpected opportunities are often the most powerful ones, because they can completely redirect your life — if you’re ready to take advantage of the opportunity. To coach Tim Brewster, thank you. And to the late, great Marty Schottenheimer and his family, thank you, because you gave me the opportunity to play tight end in the NFL. Because of you, now NFL teams and scouts will never look at college basketball players the same again.”
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Gates started the trend, for sure. There have been a bunch more basketball players turned into tight ends in the years since.
He ended his speech with a message about the importance of sports.
“Football is the ultimate team game, and I didn’t get here alone,” Gates said. “I’m standing here today because of the people who poured into me. What I’ve learned through it all is a kid coming from Detroit to San Diego to LA, had it not been for sports, I probably never would have crossed paths with half of you. That’s why sports is a reminder to us as humans that we are not as divided as people may believe. We are more than just black or white or rich or poor. That’s why it’s important to keep pushing for unity to make this country a better place.”
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Category: Football
