Los Angeles Chargers TE Antonio Gates Nominated for Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award

Antonio Gates has long been a respected member of the NFL community, not just as a player, but as a person. He has often been described as a great guy with a quiet persona, who let’s his play on the field speak for itself, and it has certainly said a lot over the course of his illustrious Hall of Fame career. Now Gates can add another note to his resume, an Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award nominee.

This award is given to the player who best embodies the spirit of sportsmanship on the field. The nominees for the young award are chosen by their own organizations, with one player representing each of the thirty-two NFL franchises. The list of nominated players will eventually be narrowed down to eight before a winner is officially announced at NFL Honors show on the eve of Super Bowl Lll.

The previous winners have been: WR Larry Fitzgerald (2014), DB Charles Woodson (2015), and RB Frank Gore (2016). Antonio Gates has been a consummate pro throughout his career and is as deserving as any to be named the fourth winner of the award.

You can find the full list of this year's nominees here.