Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Michael Irvin says Antonio Gates was robbed by NFL Hall of Fame Committee

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Suzanne Halliburton | Last updated 2/10/24

Michael Irvin knows what it’s like not to make the Pro Football Hall of Fame on the first ballot. That’s why he plans on calling Antonio Gates, who felt the snub when this year’s class was revealed earlier this week.

The Hall of Fame added seven new members, including two recommended by the senior’s committee. The NFL then honored the new group during Thursday’s NFL Honors telecast. Gates, a finalist who was on the ballot for the first time, didn’t receive enough votes to make it to Canton, Ohio.

No one is questioning whether Gates ranks among the best tight ends ever to play the game. But they do wonder why he didn’t make the Hall on his first try.

A TMZ reporter ran into Michael Irvin at a “A Night Out With Legends” Super Bowl event Friday night. The reporter asked Irvin about the slight, wondering if it was a snub. Irvin agreed.

“I’ll reach out to AG, that’s my guy,” Irvin said about Gates. “Have to tell him the same thing I tell all guys.

“I didn’t get in on the first ballot,” the Cowboys great said. “But, I promise you I got in on the third ballot and when I got there, and I got to that podium, straight joy was waiting on me. It didn’t even matter that I didn’t go in on the first ballot, once I got there, I just saw joy.”

Gates is one of the best-kind of NFL stories. He originally signed with Michigan State to play both football and basketball. But Nick Saban, who was the Spartans coach at the time, wanted Gates to stick with football. So Gates transferred to Eastern Michigan to play both sports. He ended up playing basketball at Kent State.

His size and athletic ability intrigued the Chargers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2003. Gates played 16 years, his entire career, for the Chargers. He made the Pro Bowl eight times and was All Pro six years. He still is the team’s career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

Gates surpassed 100 career touchdowns in 2015, becoming only the second tight end and ninth player overall to achieve the century mark. Tony Gonzalez was the first tight end to do so. Coincidentally, he’s in the Hall of Fame.

But as Michael Irvin noted, many great players don’t get to Canton the first time on the Hall of Fame ballot. Julius Peppers was the lone first-ballot nominee to make the Hall of Fame class this year.

Michael Irvin made the Hall of Fame in XX. The Dallas Cowboys selected the former Miami Hurricane in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft. An injury ended his career in 1999. By then, Irvin was one of the best receivers, ever, and certainly in Cowboys history. He was exceptional in the post-season, with 87 catches. When he retired, the only receiver ahead of him was Jerry Rice. A quarter-century later, Irvin still ranks ninth overall.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: