Antonio Gates was officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, where he delivered a heartfelt speech. Gates spent a good amount of time expressing gratitude to those who supported him on his football journey, including his former teammate Philip Rivers.
“Philip Rivers, it was an absolute pleasure to play with you,” Gates said.
In tears, Gates cited Rivers as the “heartbeat of the offense” and praised him for his fire and passion on the football field.
Rivers threw 89 of Gates’ NFL-record 116 touchdowns. They were teammates for 16 seasons.