SAN DIEGO -- Star tight end Antonio Gates is eager to do a little less cheerleading and get back onto the field with the San Diego Chargers.
That is, if the plantar fasciitis in his right foot clears up to the point that he can practice, let alone get through a game without feeling the intolerable pain that's dogged him since last season.
After missing the last three games with the stubborn condition, Gates hopes the rest and treatment he'll get during the Chargers' bye week will be enough to get back. Then again, he never expected to miss this much time.
"You can't make predictions because you kind of stick your foot in your mouth when you make predictions with this thing," said Gates, a three-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler. "It's just one of those things where I've got to first get through one day's practice before I can start thinking about playing a football game. And then seeing what can I do, how can I do it, can I modify it, can I cut back on some pain by doing X, Y and Z, and then we go from there."
The Chargers (4-1) are winning without Gates. But his absence gets magnified every time they bog down inside the opponent's 20-yard line. It's not the only reason the Chargers have had to summon kicker Nick Novak so many times, but it's certainly a factor.
Next Wednesday is the next time Gates will have a chance to practice, when the Chargers begin preparing for their game at the New York Jets on Oct. 23.
Standing on the sideline is starting to eat at Gates, who missed six games in 2010, including the final four as the Chargers couldn't recover from a slow start and missed the playoffs.
"I'm very antsy on that sideline. I can't help but be. I'm used to being out there. At the same time, the objective is to win a football game. Everybody plays a role on this team. Unfortunately, my role hasn't been participating. My role has been cheering, patting on the back, slapping on the numbers -- I don't hit them on the butt," Gates said with a laugh. "That's what it's about. Me, I'm just playing a role on the side, doing as much as I can do to help."
Although Randy McMichael has played well at tight end, quarterback Philip Rivers said it'll be "huge" to get Gates back, especially in the red zone.
"Certainly he's a guy who's caught a bunch of touchdowns down there," Rivers said.
"I think you're talking about one of the great red zone receivers over the last 10 years, for sure, so no question that will be a factor," coach Norv Turner said.
No one can be certain when that'll be.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
