The butterflies are building for Antonio Gates.

The legendary Chargers tight end is on the scene in Canton, Ohio and has a jam-packed schedule ahead of Saturday’s induction ceremony.

While he’ll officially get his Gold Jacket on Friday night, Gates and the rest of the Class of 2025 held a press conference Thursday afternoon.

“I’ve been doing pretty well but I woke up today and started feeling that surreal moment, like a game,” Gates said. “I hadn’t felt those emotions up to this point but they have finally came to life.”

Here are the top three takeaways from Gates’ media availability:

Gates wore a Chargers T-shirt during his press conference, a small symbol to show his love for the team he spent his entire 16-year career with.

Gates is the Bolts franchise leader in numerous categories, including receptions (955), receiving yards (11,841) and touchdown catches (116).

He also ranks second all-time with 236 career games played.

Gates on Thursday said that he never envisioned playing with just one team during his NFL career, especially early on when he transitioned from basketball to football.

But the bond between the player and team grew over time, leading Gates to cement himself as one of the best players in franchise history.

“I played 16 years but it was always one year at a time,” Gates said. “I was very fortunate and lucky … but it was like building a house brick by brick.

“One year at a time. I never let my past distract me from my present and my future affect my present,” Gates continued. “Every year I had to make the team and every year I had to be the best version of Antonio Gates and improve.

“Ultimately, I ended up tallying up the years,” Gates added. “It was just the respect the organization had for myself and the respect for the sacrifices I was able to make.”