Former San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates catches a pass years ago, something he did often … [+] in his sensational 16-year career with the club. Gates was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull, File)

Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

For tight end Antonio Gates, the door for the Pro Football Hall of Fame has finally swung open.

Gates, who spent his stellar 16-year career with the San Diego Chargers, was elected in his second year of eligbility during Super Bowl week in New Orleans.

The combination of an accurate passer in Philip Rivers and the sure-handed Gates drove the Chargers to great heights before the team departed for Los Angeles.

San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates hugs quarterback Philip Rivers after the Chargers made … [+] the playoffs with a 27-24 overtime victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in 2013. Gates and Rivers combined for 89 touchdowns, the third-most of any tandem in NFL history. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi )

Copyright 2013 AP. All rights reserved.

The high mark was reaching the 2007 AFC Championship Game, in which they fell to the New England Patriots.

But Gates seldom feel short it providing key catches, especially on third downs, while serving as a safety value for Chargers quarterbacks when plays went off script.

It was the third star of that triumphant era in San Diego Chargers football, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who broke the news to Gates that he would be joining him at the hallowed grounds in Canton, Ohio.

“Y’all are good with this stuff,’’ Gates said after being surprised by Tomlinson, in a video released by the Chargers

Gates was better than good and he was as popular in the locker room as he was in the community.

The personable Gates was always humble about his unlikely path to the Chargers, where he utilized his 6-foot-5, 255-pound body to sheild himself from defenders as if blocking out for a rebound down low.

Ex-San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates speaks as he is inducted into the Chargers Hall of … [+] Fame during halftime of an NFL football game between the Chargers and the Denver Broncos in 2023. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun, File)

Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

With his unlikely story of transforming from being a Kent State basketball player into an All-Pro tight end, combined with his electric smile and time for seemingly everyone, few matched Gates’ level of respect.

But one doesn’t reach the Hall of Fame by being a super guy.

Gates, an undrafted free agent, was super productive and the numbers don’t fib.

Despite the fact that when he reached the Chargers camp in his first spring, the one-time power forward had last played football as a senior at Detroit’s Central High School.

No tight end in NFL history can match Gates in touchdown receptions (116) and multi-touchdown games (21). In eight of his seasons, he had at least eight scoring catches which is another all-time NFL high.

Gates shared that his honor comes on the heels of him recently losing his father. That only added to emotion which was evident when Tomlinson, wearing his Hall of Fame gold jacket, let Gates know he was awarded the NFL’s highest honor.

“I just lost my dad, just buried my dad a week ago Saturday,’’ Gates told Chargers.com. “He would always talk about being a competitor, being tough. Man, it’s tough. Thank you.’’

That Gates goes in without his dad reminds Chargers followers of his unwavering love for his family. In the summer leading to one of his best seasons in 2014, he skipped the team’s offseason workouts to be with his late sister, Pamela, as she battled Lupus.

When she died, Gates dedicated his season to her and he responded with nine touchdown catches in the first eight games. When the year was done, Gates had 12 scoring receptions and he had become the team’s all-time leading receiver, eclipsing another Hall of Famer in Lance Alworth, with more than 10,000 career receiving yards.

Gates would finish with 11,841 receiving yards, fourth all-time among tight ends. Another ex-teammate, quarterback Drew Brees, contributed to that total and he will probably join Gates in the Hall of Fame next year.

Brees had previously said that Gates getting in before him was a no-brainer.

“If you just want to look at statistics, if you just want to look at longevity, if you just want to look at consistency, if you just want to look at durability, this is to me an extremely obvious choice when it comes to what Antonio Gates accomplished throughout his career,’’ Brees said.

Tomlinson agreed, when saluting the 12th, and most recent, member from the Chargers’ organization to become a Hall of Famer.

“His candidacy is about legacy,’’ Tomlinson said. ”Quite simply, Antonio changed the game.”