Chargers News: Antonio Gates Suspended 4 Games For PED’s
San Diego Chargers‘ All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates will be watching the first four games of the 2015 season from the sidelines after being suspended Thursday afternoon after violating the NFL’s policy on performing enhancing drugs.
The suspension comes as a surprise to probably ever Chargers fan and a lot of NFL fans everywhere. Gates, one of the good guys of the NFL, will not be paid during his four game absence.
Gates will miss games against the Detroit Lions at home, road games at Cincinnati and Minnesota, and finally back home for a game against Cleveland Browns. His first game will be the Monday Night Football game against the Steelers on October 12 at home.
Gates says it was “supplements and holistic medicines” he took while trying to recover from the physical toll his body took last season. He took 770 offensive snaps last season as a 34 year old.
Gates stated that he is responsible for what goes into his own body and added “I take full responsibility for my actions.”
While this is a blow to a player who had always done the right thing and was a leader both on and off the field, the Chargers and fans alike should
Gates had a great season last year amassing over 800 yards and a team-high 12 touchdowns. He ranks 4th in both receptions and reception yards for NFL tight ends all-time and 2nd in TD’s.
Ladarius Green will now be starting in Gate’s absence. Green is in the last year of his rookie contract and the Chargers were expecting big things from him this year even before this went down. Green, the 6-foot-6 240 lbs play-maker, gets his chance to shine and build off of last season where he had a career high 19 receptions for 226 yards.
Gates was the fourth player to suspended on Thursday by the NFL. They also suspended Jets defensive end Sheldon Richardson, Cowboys Rolando McClain, and Packers defensive end Datone Jones.
Nick was born and raised in San Diego where he became a Chargers and Padres fan, attending numerous home games throughout the years with his dad. He then went on to attend college at the University of Arizona. There he earned his degree in marketing and now lives in San Francisco where he dreams of the the sunny beaches of San Diego. Bear Down.