Antonio Gates' moment is almost here.

The legendary Chargers tight end will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this weekend, with the four-man Class of 2025 bumping the total number of inductees to 382.

But there's a good chance Gates' path to Canton, Ohio might be the most unlikely of anyone.

Gates will become just the 23 rd undrafted free agent to have his bust immortalized in the Hall.

He's also the very first player in the Hall of Fame to have never played a down of college football.

Gates' NFL resumé is Hall of Fame worthy, of course. No tight end in history can match his 116 career touchdown catches.

Not to mention his 955 receptions and 11,841 receiving yards, both of which rank fourth all-time among players at his position.

But the journey? The story of how Ga

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