OT: NFL: Gates signs 6 year deal?!?
 

I find this quite humorous.


Terms of Gates' new deal not disclosed

SAN DIEGO -- Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates will play for much more than $380,000 this season. And he will be with the San Diego Chargers for a long time as well.

Gates agreed to terms on a six-year contract with the Chargers on Tuesday.


Antonio Gates
Tight End
San Diego Chargers
Profile


2004 SEASON STATISTICS
Rec Yds TD Avg Long YAC
81 964 13 11.9 72 338

"I'm ecstatic that this was resolved," Gates said. "I love playing for the San Diego Chargers and I never wanted to leave."

The agreement ends a bizarre series of events in which Gates was placed on the roster exempt list for not reporting to training camp before a team-imposed deadline. As a result, Gates will not be allowed to play in the Chargers' next three games, including their season opener against Dallas on Sept. 11.

San Diego had said Gates would be suspended for three games if he did not agree to a new deal or accept their one-year tender offer of $380,000 -- the minimum for a third-year player -- by Saturday.

Instead, Gates reported on Sunday and signed his tender on Monday.

The two sides started negotiations on a multiyear deal after Gates signed his tender.

A former basketball player at Kent State, the 25-year-old Gates set an NFL record for most touchdown catches by a tight end with 13 last season. He recorded 81 catches for 964 yards after having 24 receptions for 389 yards and two scores in his rookie campaign.

The emergence of quarterback Drew Brees and Gates helped the Chargers win the AFC West with a 12-4 record in 2004.

Wow. Weird turn of events, indeed.

He wanted the money. Money like Tony Gonzalez. IMHO, one season didn't earn him the right to ask for it...combine that with the WR situation and it's no wonder that he got the catches, yards, and TDs.

Didn't LaDanian Tomlinson have the most receptions on the team in 2003?

Meh. It does't really matter how long the contract is. This is the NFL.

I really think that half these guys just want to skip 2-a-days.

What cracks me up is that as a result of getting a fat 6 year contract, he misses the opener...

I'm glad they got him back. I'd hate to go back to a 1 guy offense. I suppose it all depends on how they do this year. The Chargers are hard to predict.

I agree with you!

Heard he actually missed the cutoff of contract negotiations b/c he couldnt get a flight to make it on time.

Hes a talent, yes.
A Tony Gonzales, no.

That seems to happen in KC with a couple of people every year. This year they've toned down practices and the stars (read: offense) get to sit out quite a few practices.

SI

Ok, I'm glad to see life return back to normal this year. The last couple of years, when people were talking about tight ends, it was all about how someone was a Todd Heap or Jeremy Shockey talent. Every year, there's some new flavor of the month TE putting up stats but none of them have put up the 5 or 6 straight 750+ yd, 5+ td seasons like he has.

SI

I think Vermeil wanted to skip two-a-days.

Thank goodness, the Chargers need more offense than just Tomlinson. Tomlinson and Gates now have long contracts... it's Brees' turn. C'mon sign the man to a longer contract and get rid of Rivers!! Don't they see that Brees IS the future of the Chargers?!