Los Angeles Chargers great Antonio Gates was officially enshrined as a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 2025 class at NFL Honors. Before that much-deserved reveal, though, Gates himself found out about it in a heartwarming fashion.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will welcome four new members into its exclusive fraternity this summer. Three modern-era candidates and a senior candidate will make up the 2025 Hall of Fame class that will be honored this year in Canton,

Gates, who caught 116 touchdown passes in a 16-year career spent entirely with the Chargers, is elected alongside defensive end Jared Allen, wide receiver Sterling Sharpe and cornerback Eric Allen.