Antonio Gates Comments on Retirement, Future with Chargers

San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates hinted strongly Sunday night that he wants to return for at least one more season in the NFL.

“I don’t want to go out this kind of way,” Gates said, per Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “I don’t want to go out as a loser. Winning is the way, ideally, you want to go out. ... I want to make one more run at it, and then if it doesn’t work, be like, ‘OK.’ That’s just my feeling right now.”

According to Acee, Gates said he would take a month or so after the season to officially determine whether he'll retire. One factor will be the direction in which the Chargers are going as an organization.

“I’ll spend some time to see where I’m at, what’s being done, what changes there are, what our goals are," Gates added.

Another factor will be whether the Chargers want him back, as he is a free agent after the season.

Despite being 35, Gates remains effective. The eight-time Pro Bowler has caught 45 passes for 497 yards and four touchdowns this season and has been one of the few bright spots on the 3-10 Chargers. For his career, he's accumulated 833 receptions for 10,511 yards and 103 touchdowns, just shy of Tony Gonzalez's NFL-record 111 touchdown receptions among tight ends.

Based on his comments Sunday, it would be surprising if Gates didn't return for another season. Considering the lack of weapons in general on offense, it would be just as surprising if the Chargers didn't re-sign him for one more year. The team might not be in a position to win, as Gates is hoping for, but it sounds as though the veteran tight end isn't quite ready to give up the game just yet.