Most NFL careers follow a predictable blueprint. College football stardom leads to draft-day glory, then roster battles begin. Antonio Gates shattered that mold completely. The Chargers legend never stepped onto a college football field. No draft-night phone call came his way either. Yet, somehow, Gates carved his name into Canton’s sacred halls. According to the Akron Beacon Journal, he’s the first Hall of Famer without college football experience. While 22 undrafted players reached the Hall before him, none skipped college football entirely. Gates now mentors future tight ends about breaking conventional expectations, and this time, he has something for Travis Kelce.

This Thursday, July 31, on The Pat McAfee Show, Gates reflected on how the tight end position keeps evolving. Modern players blur the lines between receiver and tight end, creating matchup nightmares that didn’t exist during his era. “And I hope, you know, now you see the generation and they constantly growing at the position. So I’m happy to be a part of that.” Pat McAfee then directly questions Gates on Travis Kelce’s university: “How do you feel about tight end university and everything like that?” To which, Gates replied, “Well, I was invited to it, but I haven’t been yet. But I do like what they’re doing.”

In addition, Gates admitted, “I do like what they’re doing because at the end of the day, that’s really what it’s about, right? It is serving a purpose and having a platform to be able to say, “All right, well, I had this opportunity to do X, Y, and Z, and this is the space that I was in. Now, let’s let me tell you what you should do and what you shouldn’t do.” And I think that’s a great idea for the tight ends and the next generation.”

Gates carved out his legacy through pure basketball athleticism. His 2004 first-team All-Pro season shattered records when he caught 13 touchdown passes—an NFL record for tight ends at the time. That breakout year launched three consecutive seasons as the league’s premier tight end. The numbers still stagger today. Gates finished with 116 touchdown receptions, seventh all-time in NFL history. He outscored Tony Gonzalez by five touchdowns despite Gonzalez’s longer career. His 955 career catches and 11,841 receiving yards remain Chargers franchise records.

More importantly, Gates opened doors for other basketball converts seeking NFL opportunities. Teams now actively scout hardwood stars looking for the next Gates-like discovery. Nevertheless, the conversation soon inevitably shifted to what happened at Tight End University last month, and its connection to Travis Kelce.

Gates admitted he’d been invited but hadn’t attended yet, leading to some playful ribbing about missing out on certain perks. “I was invited to it, but I haven’t been yet,” he admitted, while noting that he missed the Taylor Swift concert. “My daughter would be mad about that. My daughter loves Taylor Swift,” Gates laughed. Anyway, the Chargers’ legend loves what the tight ends are doing for the young generation. And no doubt, Swift’s appearance was the cherry on the cake.

Additionally, the mention of Swift’s concerts brought up Kelce’s high-profile relationship, proving that tight ends now command attention both on and off the field. But besides this. Chiefs‘ TE’s girlfriend is speculated to give another cameo with Kelce. Wait…..what?

Taylor Swift’s secret cameo: Fans spot pop star in Travis Kelce’s Happy Gilmore 2 scene

Swiftie conspiracy theories are running wild after Netflix dropped behind-the-scenes footage from Happy Gilmore 2. Fans spotted something suspicious in Travis Kelce’s honey-covered bear attack scene and immediately connected dots that might not exist. The 35-year-old tight end plays a ruthless boss who fires Bad Bunny’s character, Oscar, in the Adam Sandler sequel. Oscar’s revenge fantasy involves a bear mauling Kelce’s character after he gets doused in honey. Eagle-eyed fans noticed the bear costume and started speculating about who might be inside.

Swift herself fueled the rumors by promoting the movie enthusiastically on her Instagram Story last week. Her post included strategic emoji choices that seemed too coincidental for some fans. “Happy Gilmore 2 had me cackling and cheering the whole movie! An absolute must-watch, 13/10, go watch it on @netflix as soon as humanly possible (honey emoji),” she wrote alongside the film’s poster. That honey emoji felt deliberate to many Swifties. It directly referenced Kelce’s sticky situation with Bad Bunny’s character, suggesting she knew intimate details about the scene.

Adam Sandler’s genuine affection for Swift adds another layer to the speculation. The comedian-producer has praised the pop star repeatedly, especially her kindness toward his family. “Taylor is incredible,” Sandler recently told Entertainment Tonight. “Taylor is so damn nice to my family and has always been. My kids have met Taylor a bunch of times over the years, and she’s ridiculously nice to them and warm.” Despite his obvious admiration, Sandler revealed he never approached Swift about appearing in the film. He told Extra at the premiere that he “didn’t want to bother” the busy superstar. Swift continues supporting Kelce’s acting ventures, having previously given him advice before his “Grotesquerie” debut. Whether she’s actually in the bear suit remains Hollywood’s sweetest mystery.