Chargers TE Gates unhappy with ranking
San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates does not like being rated No. 73.
Gates took issue with his ranking on the NFL Network's "Top 100 Players of 2013" countdown Thursday night.
"Apparently they don't watch football," he told host Lindsay Rhodes, NFL Network analyst Warren Sapp, NFL.com's Dave Dameshek, defensive back Charles Woodson and Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver.
"I understand everyone's opinion. Some people are stat guys, some people are into who catches the touchdowns, who has 100-something catches. A lot of people are not interested into what the game plan is about, what guys demand the game plan every single week, week in and week out, (and) what guys demand double teams. I can go on down the list.
"It is funny to me because it is a joke, in a sense, so it is kind of funny. It is a voice of an opinion. I go out and do what I can do and try to help us win football games. It is always frustrating to see you placed so low. At the same time, it gives me a little chip on my shoulder to come back next year and prove I am one of the better tight ends in the league."
The voters for the show's top 100 list are NFL players.
Last year, Gates made 49 receptions for 538 yards with seven touchdowns in 15 games. He has 642 career catches for 8,321 yards with 83 touchdowns.
