There won't be much to separate Antonio Gates' Christmas from any other Thursday. There will be a few extra phone calls and some well-wishes added to his morning routine. It's business as usual after that, with a trip to the Chargers' practice facility in preparation for Sunday's meeting with the Denver Broncos.
It sounds like a sad way to spend a holiday, but the daily grind might be Gates' greatest gift.
There have been precious few times over the past year that Gates could walk into the office without pain. The problems started roughly 51 weeks ago in the playoff opener against Tennessee, when Gates tore the plantar plate in his left foot, an injury that required surgery and rehab more extensive than he ever imagined.
"I was very afraid," Gates told the North County Times after Wednesday's practice. "I wasn't worried about the surgery going well and I knew I was going to be able to walk again. But being able to run and cut like I used to, I didn't know if I was going to get that back."
Read the full article in the North County Times.
