Gates signed a five-year contract extension with the Chargers.
The San Diego Chargers signed Antonio Gates to a five-year contract extension that will keep him with the team through 2015.
The contract will pay him $7.235 million per season with $20.4 million guaranteed according to ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.
Gates has set the standard for tight ends since joining the NFL in 2003. He leads all tight ends in touchdown catches since that point with 59. He also ranks second in reception yards (6,223) and third in catches (479).
In addition, Gates has been the Chargers leading receiver in each of the past six seasons.
“It’s always good to get (the contract) out of the way,” Gates said Wednesday. “The goal is to win a championship. We all are human and it becomes a distraction even though you might not want it to be. It’s always great to be able to go ahead and do what you need to do and get it out of the way.”
Next up for the Chargers: working out new deals for Marcus McNeill and Vincent Jackson.