Antonio Gates - undrafted??

[Dan the Man]

sehe ich das richtig, daß Antonio Gates als undrafted Free Agent in die NFL gekommen ist?

ich kann ihn im Draftboard nirgends finden, oder hat der wie Dominack Williams irgendwann mal seinene Namen geändert?

[lorenzo]

war undrafted!

[Muff Potter]

der war ja auch basketballer... also eigentlich...

[Dan the Man]

steile Lernkurve der Bursche....

Danke für die Antwort

[Muff Potter]

Tony Gonzales von den Chiefs übrigens auch...hatte man auch eher eine Basketballkarriere vorrausgesagt

[guard68]

steile Lernkurve der Bursche....

Danke für die Antwort

Wieso Freilaufen, Ball fangen ...neu ist nur der Hit danach

[Muff Potter]

naja der Ball sieht schon auch ein bisschen anders aus

[guard68]

naja der Ball sieht schon auch ein bisschen anders aus

Ach wat. DAs ist wie mit den Frauen - da sehen die Bälle auch immer anders aus..aber du kannst mit allen umgehen oder

[Muff Potter]

ab ner gewissen GRöße wirds schon schwer

[DeMingo]

Tony Romo war auch undrafted

[Muff Potter]

Antonio Gates
College career
Before his rookie season of 2003 Gates had not played organized football since his senior year at Central High School in Detroit. Gates wanted to go to Michigan State under then-coach Nick Saban and assistant coach Kevin C. to play both football and basketball but Saban wanted him to play only football. Basketball was his favorite sport so he transferred to Eastern Michigan University to play basketball. He played there part of a season, subsequently played at two junior colleges and eventually landed at Kent State University in northeast Ohio. Gates spent two seasons as a Golden Flashes power forward where he led the team to the MAC championship and an Elite Eight spot in 2002 and to the MAC championship game the following season, during which he averaged 20.6 points per game, 4.1 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game.

NFL career
San Diego Chargers
After being told by scouts that he was too much of a "tweener" (6'4") to make the NBA, Gates arranged a workout in front of NFL scouts. As many as 19 teams were believed to have contacted Gates about a try out. Gates chose to work out first for the San Diego Chargers. Recognizing his enormous potential, the Chargers immediately signed him to a contract as an undrafted free agent.

After finishing a solid 2003 rookie season he caught 24 passes for 389 yards and two scores, he was picked by many experts to have a breakout season in 2004. That year, only his second season in the NFL, Gates became quarterback Drew Brees' favorite target, finishing the season with 81 receptions for 964 yards and 13 touchdowns. On December 19, Gates tied the NFL season record for touchdowns by a tight end (12) in a 21-0 win over the Cleveland Browns, and he went on to break that record in an overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts on December 26. Gates was selected to the 2005 Pro Bowl and caught a TD pass from Colts' quarterback Peyton Manning to help the AFC to a 38-27 victory. Additionally, Gates was on the receiving end of a 33 yard pass from teammate Drew Brees in a flea-flicker play selected by fans online.

On August 23, 2005, after holding out for a contract extension, Gates inked a six-year deal worth up to $24 million with the San Diego Chargers. Because of his holdout, Gates was suspended a total of three games, including the home opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Gates went on to have another stellar season, catching 89 passes for 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns, but the Chargers missed the playoffs by a slim margin. Many attributed missing the playoffs to the loss to Dallas. Looking back, many assumed that had Gates played, the Chargers would have beaten the Cowboys and thus ended up 10-6 and likely in the playoffs. While this may have been true, the Chargers played poorly in the second half of the season, losing three of the their last four, and therefore Gates' suspension (and the loss to Dallas) was not the only reason they missed the postseason.

With the departure of Drew Brees during the offseason, it was assumed that Gates would suffer a decline in production in 2006 with first-year starter Philip Rivers at the helm. Gates had a relatively quiet start to the season, but he finished the year strongly and ended up with 924 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He caught two touchdown passes on Dec. 10 against Denver to help the Chargers clinch their division.

Tony Gonzales
High school
Gonzalez attended Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach, California, where he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball.

Gonzalez excelled at both football and basketball. As a senior, playing football he caught 62 passes for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns and was a first-team All-America selection at both tight end and linebacker his senior season. Playing basketball, he was named Orange County and Sunset League MVP in basketball as he averaged 26 points per game.

After his senior year, Tony shared the Orange County High School Athlete of the Year along with golf superstar Tiger Woods. [2]

College career
Gonzalez chose to attend the University of California at Berkeley, where he majored in communications and played both football and basketball.

As a member of the Cal football team, he played tight end under future NFL coach Steve Mariucci. His junior year was one of the best seasons of all time for a Division I tight end, as he caught 46 passes for 699 yards and 5 touchdowns. Gonzalez was also an All-Pac-10 and All-American selection.

Gonzalez also continued his basketball career at Cal. His junior year he played in 28 games, averaging 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as Cal made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.

Gonzalez elected to forfeit his final year of eligibility at Cal to declare for the NFL draft.


NFL career
In 1996, the Kansas City Chiefs offense was one of the worst in the NFL. Chiefs coach Marty Schottenheimer looked to use his first round pick to improve this area, and had admired Gonzalez's combination of size, athleticism, and receiving ability he had displayed while in college. Gonzalez was rated as the number one tight end in the 1997 NFL Draft, and was considered a top 15 selection. The Chiefs decided Gonzalez was their man, but were unlikely to be able to draft him with their 18th overall pick. The Chiefs thus traded up with the Houston Oilers to get the number 13 selection and draft Gonzalez.

Gonzalez began his career in 1997. His rookie season was mediocre, as he caught only 33 passes and two touchdowns, despite the Chiefs finishing with the best record in the AFC. His 1998 season saw dramatic improvements in catches (59) and yards (621), but in a very pedestrian Chiefs offense Gonzalez only caught two touchdown passes for the second consecutive year.

His 1999 season saw Gonzalez become one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL. He caught 76 passes for 849 yards and a career high 11 touchdown receptions and was selected to his first Pro Bowl. From 2000 to 2006, Gonzalez was the most productive tight end in the NFL. During this time frame he averaged 79 receptions, 968 yards, and 6.5 touchdowns per season and was selected to the Pro Bowl every year. His best season statistically was 2004, when he caught an NFL record (for a tight end) 102 passes for 1258 yards and 7 touchdowns.

In 2007, Gonzalez continued his productivity in spite of the generally poor play of the Chiefs' offense. Though the Chiefs finished at or near the bottom in most major offensive categories, Gonzalez led all NFL tight ends in receptions (99) and receiving yards (1172) while being named to his ninth straight Pro Bowl.

Starting late in the 2006, Gonzalez began to close in on numerous team and league records for receiving. Late in 2006 Gonzalez broke Otis Taylor's Chiefs team receiving yards and touchdowns mark, and also passed Priest Holmes for the team yards-from-scrimmage record. On 14 October, 2007, Gonzalez broke the career touchdown record previously held by Shannon Sharpe, as well as passing Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome for second in career receiving yards for a tight end. On December 23, 2007, Gonzalez recorded his third season with 1,000 receiving yards, tying him with Kellen Winslow, Todd Christensen and Shannon Sharpe for most ever by a tight end, and on December 30, 2007, Gonzalez passed Shannon Sharpe for most receptions all time by a tight end.