San Diego Chargers Pro Bowl tight end Antonio Gates ended his lengthy holdout yesterday, finally agreeing to a six-year contract with a net worth that will put him among the top four best-compensated tight ends in the NFL in terms of virtually guaranteed money. "I agreed on something," Gates said yesterday. "Nobody makes me agree on nothing but myself. It wasn't about becoming the highest-paid player. It was what was comfortable for Antonio Gates." Gates will make between $10 million and $11 million in bonuses and salary over the first two years of the contract, a pile of money that ranks behind only Baltimore's Todd Heap, Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez and Cleveland's Kellen Winslow Jr. Gates could earn $24 million over the life of the deal. "I think I got Antonio Gates money," said Gates, who signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent in 2003. "It's fair enough for me. It's fair enough for me to be here long-term."

Antonio Gates has altered his plans of holding out and has thrown himself backing into the Charger fold. Gates plans on attending the Charger games, however, he will not suit up right away and his debut may be weeks away. "Antonio will come in and we're moving toward restricted free agency," said Andre Colona, Gates' agent. "Antonio and I have moved on. We tried to get something done. We've accepted we disagree on what market value is. We're going to play for the $380,000. We're willing to negotiate up until the first game of the season. After that, Antonio doesn't want to deal with it."

There has been no word from Antonio Gates or his agent as of yesterday evening, and it is very unlikely that Gates will return to camp anytime soon. "It's a big thing because of who the guy is," General Manager A.J. Smith said. Gates, who caught 13 touchdown passes in 2004, an NFL record for a tight end, wants to be paid in line with the top tight ends in the league. The Chargers do not agree Gates should be compensated akin to veterans such as Tony Gonzalez and Todd Heap after just two years. "We're the football team," Smith said. "We decide who gets a contract, how much they get and for how long."

San Diego Chargers All-Pro tight end Antonio Gates has been delivered an ultimatum by the Chargers front office saying that if he does not end his holdout by Saturday afternoon, he will face a three-game suspension. In order to avoid a suspension, the team told the All-Pro tight end that he will need to either sign a new multiyear deal or the $380,000, one-year contract he was tendered as an exclusive-rights free agent. "My philosophy is to pay our own players," Chargers GM A.J. Smith said. "We stepped out of the box midway through last season. We didn't want him to play for $380,000. We recognized his ability, but we didn't get anywhere. That's fine. Both parties have to agree. Unfortunately, we can't seem to get it going. Hopefully we will. Now, we all know exactly what we're up against."