playing every game despite complaints that his toe was bothering him during the first half of the season. He finished the season with 60 receptions for 704 yards and eight touchdowns. 2009 season Finally healthy after consecutive injury-plagued seasons, Gates enjoyed the finest year of his career. He caught 79 passes for a career-high 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. He hauled in at least five passes in 10 of the team's first 11 games. The team finished the year with 13 wins, one of the best records of the year. However, they were eliminated in their first postseason game by the New York Jets. 2010 season Gates began the 2010 season by signing a five-year, $36 million contract with $20 million guaranteed. In the first nine games of the 2010 season, he had 40 receptions and nine touchdowns. Despite being limited by foot injuries throughout the second half of the 2010 season, Gates earned a Pro Bowl selection for his seventh consecutive year; however, as a result of his lingering injuries, Gates did not participate in the game. 2011 season Gates tried to play through his chronic foot problems but was forced to sit out Weeks 3–5. He came back after the bye week and started every game the rest of the way, finishing with more than 60 catches (64) for the seventh time in his career. He also scored seven touchdowns and was voted into his eighth Pro Bowl. Gates became the Chargers' all-time receptions leader on a six-yard catch on a fourth-and-5, early in the fourth quarter against Detroit. It was his 587th career catch, surpassing Charlie Joiner's 586. 2012 season Gates had another record-breaking season, becoming the fifth tight end in NFL history with 600 career catches and runner-up for most touchdowns in Chargers franchise history with 83. The tight end and his quarterback Philip Rivers connected for a total of 56 touchdown catches, the most out of any QB-tight end combination in the NFL. 2013 season Gates played all 16 games for the first time since 2009, finishing with 70 receptions (77) for the fourth time in his career. However, Gates only scored four touchdowns, his fewest since his rookie season in 2003. 2014 season Gates passed Lance Alworth to become the Chargers' career leader in receiving yards in Week 7 against the Broncos. In the season's final game against the Kansas City Chiefs, he became