Tight end Antonio Gates has heard the talk about him being just a guy now, as the future Hall of Famer deals with a foot injury that has slowed him much of the past two seasons. He has played the past four games, catching 22 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns.
He has lacked the burst off the line and escapability both in routes and once he catches the ball. He would not estimate at what percentage he is playing, but he acknowledged it is not 100 percent and that he doesn’t have his full repertoire of talents at present. He believes it to be a temporary slowdown, however, and feels like he will get better as the season progresses.