April 2018 - Los Angeles Chargers Wiretap
Philip Rivers would welcome Antonio Gates back with the Los Angeles Chargers in the wake of Hunter Henry's torn right ACL.
"I would always be excited if he walked back in the door, obviously," Rivers said of the tight end. "But that's something that [GM] Tom [Telesco], [president of football operations] John [Spanos] and Coach [Anthony Lynn] -- all of those guys I'm sure would discuss and see about bringing anybody in for that matter. But certainly he would get my vote."
The Chargers lost Henry for the year when he suffered a season-ending knee injury during OTAs. Rivers said he talked with Gates about a possible return.
"I have talked to him, and I'll kind of leave that between us," Rivers said. "He first, like I said, he hated it for Hunter. If something were to happen down the road, he wouldn't have wanted it to come that way, with Hunter's absence. So that was really more of our conversation.
"But he's doing good. I think this time of year for him, even in these last few years of his career, I don't know if he's doing a ton different than he was. He stayed ready. He wasn't here this time of year a ton. He was always getting himself ready and with his family and children. So I'm sure he's in shape and will be ready if called on, if that's something he's interested in."
