Tony Gonzalez (American football)

Tony Gonzalez

refer to caption

Gonzalez at the 2005 Pro Bowl
No. 88
Position: Tight end
Personal information
Date of birth: (1976-02-27) February 27, 1976
Place of birth: Torrance, California
Height: 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight: 247 lb (112 kg)
Career information
High school: Huntington Beach (CA)
College: California
NFL Draft: 1997 / Round: 1 / Pick: 13
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,325
Receiving yards: 15,127
Receiving touchdowns: 111
Player stats at NFL.com

Anthony David Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976) is a former American football tight end who played 17 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football and college basketball at University of California, Berkeley, and was recognized as a consensus All-American in football. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Gonzalez, a fourteen-time Pro Bowl selection, currently holds the NFL records for receptions (1,325), touchdown receptions (111) and total receiving yards (15,127) by a tight end. Gonzalez was also known for his durability, missing only two games in his seventeen-year career. Since the start of the 2000 season Gonzalez had 1,145 receptions and only one fumble, making him one of the most sure handed players of all time. He is currently a studio analyst for The NFL Today.

Early years

Gonzalez was born in Torrance, California,[1] and was raised by his mother, Judy, who worked two jobs to support the family; his father being of Cape Verdean, Jamaican, and Scottish descent, and his mother's family being of African American, Euro-American, Mexican-American and Native American ancestry. Gonzalez attended Huntington Beach High School[2] in Huntington Beach, California, where he lettered in football, baseball, and basketball.

As a senior, he caught 62 passes for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns and was a first-team All America selection at both tight end and linebacker. Playing basketball, he was named Orange County and Sunset League MVP as he averaged 26 points per game.[3]

After his senior year, Gonzalez shared the Orange County High School Athlete of the Year along with golfer Tiger Woods.[4]

College career

Gonzalez chose to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he majored in communications and played both football and basketball.[5] As a member of the California Golden Bears football team, he played tight end under future NFL coach Steve Mariucci.[5] Gonzalez was also an All-Pac-10 and All-America selection.

Gonzalez also continued his basketball career at Cal. In his junior year, he played in 28 games, averaging 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game as California made it to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA Basketball Tournament.[5]

Eventually, Gonzalez had to choose between basketball and football. On the difficulty of the transition between the two, Tony said "you get done playing football and then you transition to basketball [which] had already been going for a month", but ultimately "the decision was pretty much made for me..."[6]

Gonzalez decided to forgo his final year of eligibility to declare for the NFL Draft.

College football statistics

Season Receptions Yards Avg TD's
1994 8 62 7.8 1
1995 37 541 14.6 2
1996 44 699 15.9 5
Career 89 1,302 14.6 8

College basketball statistics

Season FGM FGA FG% FTM FTA FT% PPG RPG
1994–95 71 111 .640 42 68 .618 7.1 3.88
1995–96 48 103 .466 51 75 .680 5.3 4.64
1996–97 70 156 .449 51 87 .586 6.8 4.46
Career 189 370 .510 144 230 .626 6.4 4.34

Professional career

1997 NFL draft

Gonzalez was ranked as one of the top tight ends in the 1997 NFL Draft and was considered a top 15 selection. The Chiefs traded up from the 18th to the 13th selection with the Houston Oilers to draft Gonzalez.[7]

Kansas City Chiefs

Gonzalez at a Chiefs mini camp practice in 2008

Gonzalez began his career in 1997. He finished his rookie season with 33 receptions, two touchdowns and a blocked punt on special teams, helping the Chiefs to finish with the best record in the American Football Conference (AFC). In the 1998 season, Gonzalez saw dramatic improvements with 59 receptions for 621 yards, and also caught two touchdown passes for the second consecutive year.

In the 1999 season saw Gonzalez again improving when he caught 76 passes for 849 yards and a career high 11 touchdown receptions, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. From 2003 to 2006, Gonzalez was the most productive tight end in the NFL. During this time he averaged 79 receptions, 968 yards, and 6.5 touchdowns per season and was elected to the Pro Bowl every year. His best season statistically came in 2004, when he caught an NFL record (for a tight end) 102 passes for 1,258 yards and seven touchdowns. Gonzalez's single-season record of 102 receptions by a tight end stood for 8 years, until it was broken by Jason Witten during the 2012 season.[8]

Starting late in 2006, Gonzalez began to close in on numerous team and league receiving records. In 2006, Gonzalez broke wide receiver Otis Taylor's Chiefs team receiving yards and touchdowns mark, and also passed running back Priest Holmes for the team yards from scrimmage record.

In 2007, Gonzalez continued his productivity in spite of the generally poor play of the Chiefs' offense. Though the Chiefs finished at or near the bottom in most major offensive categories, Gonzalez led the Chiefs and all NFL tight ends in receptions (99) and receiving yards (1,172) while being named to his ninth straight Pro Bowl.

On October 14, 2007, Gonzalez broke the career touchdown reception record for tight ends previously held by Shannon Sharpe,[9] as well as passing Ozzie Newsome for second in career receiving yards for a tight end. On December 23, 2007, Gonzalez recorded his third season with 1,000 receiving yards, tying him with Kellen Winslow, Todd Christensen and Shannon Sharpe for most ever by a tight end, and on December 30, 2007, Gonzalez passed Shannon Sharpe for most receptions all time by a tight end.[10]

In week 4 of the 2008 season, Gonzalez became NFL all-time leader in reception yards for a tight end with 10,064, surpassing Shannon Sharpe. He recorded 96 receptions for 1,058 yards and was also elected to his tenth career Pro Bowl despite Kansas City general manager Carl Peterson stated that no playoff-contending team made a good enough offer.[11]

During the 2009 offseason Gonzalez again approached Chiefs management about a possible trade. Unlike the previous Chiefs management, new Chiefs' GM Scott Pioli told Gonzalez he would see what he could do.

Atlanta Falcons

Tony Gonzalez (right) with Chris Redman, Roddy White and Antoine Harris

Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft on April 23, 2009.[12] In his first regular season game with Atlanta against the Miami Dolphins, Gonzalez caught a touchdown pass from Matt Ryan and became the 21st player, and the first tight end, in NFL history with 11,000 receiving yards.[13] He finished the game leading the Falcons in receiving with five receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown, his 20-yard touchdown reception marking only the third time he scored in the opening game of the season. Although Gonzalez recorded 83 receptions for 867 yards and 6 touchdowns, his total stats went down from the previous years in Kansas City, and Gonzalez was not invited to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 10 years.

In the 2010 regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gonzalez made his 1,000th career reception, making him the seventh player in NFL history to do so and the first tight end. Gonzalez had his best performance as a Falcon two weeks later against the defending Super Bowl champions New Orleans Saints, as caught eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown to help lead Atlanta to an overtime victory.[14] His play in 2010 helped him return to the Pro Bowl that year. The Falcons also finished 13-3 that season to earn the first-seed in the playoffs; in Gonzalez first playoff game in five years, the Falcons were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers.

Tony Gonzalez at Falcons training camp, 2013

During the NFL lockout in 2011, Gonzalez contemplated retiring rather than sitting out an entire season and waiting to play in 2012.[15] After the lockout was eventually lifted by the league, Gonzalez was adamant he had at least three seasons left in him and was excited at the prospects of returning to the Falcons who are widely considered to be Super Bowl contenders.[16]

With Gonzalez's contract set to expire following the conclusion of the 2011 season, he signed a 1-year $7 million contract extension with the Falcons on January 1, 2012 indicating his intent to return for at least one season.[17] In the 2012 season opener, Gonzalez played in Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs for the first time in his career which ended with a Falcons' victory.[18] Gonzalez caught his 100th career touchdown on November 11, 2012, in a week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints, becoming the only tight end in NFL history to catch 100 TD passes. On January 13, 2013, Gonzalez won the first playoff game of his career when the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 30-28.[19]

Throughout the 2012 season, he insisted on retiring. But on March 12, 2013, on his Twitter page, he said, "I'm happy to say that after speaking with my family, I'm coming back." Then, later that day, he posted,"The lure of being on such a great team and organization, along with unbelievable fan support was too good to pass up."

On March 15, 2013, Gonzalez agreed to re-sign with the Falcons to a two-year, $14 million contract, despite his claim that he would be retiring after the 2012 season.[20] Gonzalez played his final NFL game against the Carolina Panthers on December 29.[21] He would later be named a second alternate for the Pro Bowl that season, and was added to the roster when San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis declined the invitation. It was his 14th and final Pro Bowl appearance, tying him with Bruce Matthews, Merlin Olsen and Peyton Manning for the most selections for the game.[22]

NFL records

Chiefs records

Career statistics

Year Team G Rec Yds Avg Lng TD
1997 Kansas City 16 33 368 11.1 30 2
1998 Kansas City 16 59 621 10.5 32 2
1999 Kansas City 15 76 849 11.2 73 11
2000 Kansas City 16 93 1,203 12.9 39 9
2001 Kansas City 16 73 917 12.6 36 6
2002 Kansas City 16 63 773 12.3 42 7
2003 Kansas City 16 71 916 12.9 67 10
2004 Kansas City 16 102 1,258 12.3 32 7
2005 Kansas City 16 78 905 11.6 39 2
2006 Kansas City 15 73 900 12.3 57 5
2007 Kansas City 16 99 1,172 11.8 31 5
2008 Kansas City 16 96 1,058 11.0 35 10
2009 Atlanta 16 83 867 10.4 27 6
2010 Atlanta 16 70 656 9.4 34 6
2011 Atlanta 16 80 875 10.9 30 7
2012 Atlanta 16 93 930 10.0 25 8
2013 Atlanta 16 83 859 10.3 25 8
Total 271 1,325 15,127 11.4 73 111

Post NFL career

Following his retirement, Gonzalez became an analyst on CBS's NFL pregame show NFL Today.[23]

Personal life

Tony & October Gonzalez at the 2014 Alma Awards

In early 2007, Gonzalez suffered a bout of facial paralysis known as Bell's Palsy. Gonzalez subsequently experimented with a vegan diet after reading The China Study, by Cornell professor and nutrition researcher T. Colin Campbell, but he and his nutritionist, Mitzi Dulan, ultimately decided that eating meat occasionally would be best for his performance.[24] Gonzalez only eats organic fruits and vegetables, free-range chicken, grass fed beef (no more than 18 ounces a month), and fish.[25]

Gonzalez had a commitment ceremony in July 2007 with his girlfriend, October. They are not legally married, however they consider themselves married.[26] Gonzalez has three children, a daughter and a son, Malia and River, with his wife[27] and a son, Nikko, from a previous relationship with entertainment reporter Lauren Sánchez. He lives in Huntington Beach, California.[2]

On July 3, 2008, while dining with his family at Capone's Restaurant in Huntington Beach, Gonzalez noticed fellow diner Ken Hunter choking on a piece of meat at a nearby table, unable to breathe. Gonzalez successfully administered the Heimlich Maneuver to Hunter, saving his life. After the incident, it was revealed that Hunter was a fan of the San Diego Chargers, who are a rival team of the Chiefs in the AFC West.[28]

He campaigned for Barack Obama in the 2008 Election, saying "this is the first time in my life that I've ever been political about anything."[29]

He was the grand marshal of the 2014 Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade.[2]

Other endeavors

Along with playing in the NFL, Tony Gonzalez has been involved in a number of business ventures. While playing for the Chiefs, he co-founded Extreme Clean 88,[30] a commercial cleaning service in Kansas City. While in Kansas City, Tony Gonzalez also contributed to Shadow Buddies,[31] a charity that works with hospitalized children.

In 2009, Gonzalez co-authored the book The All-Pro Diet. The book, co-written with Mitzi Dulan, the former nutritionist for the Chiefs, details his diet and workout routine and provides practical suggestions for others to follow the same path.

Later in 2009, Gonzalez co-founded All-Pro Science,[32] a sports nutrition company that manufactures a complete line of protein shakes, vitamins and other supplements. The products in the APS line follow a similar philosophy to the one set forth in Gonzalez's book, focusing on a balance of foods from all-natural sources.

Since 2013, Tony has been working with FitStar,[33] a company that makes mobile fitness apps, helping people get in shape with customized workouts delivered via the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. He appears in FitStar Personal Trainer,[34] leading users through personalized Sessions.

In March 2015, Gonzalez began hosting "You Can't Lick Your Elbow", a show on the National Geographic Channel.[35]

In 2015, Tony Gonzalez and his older brother Chris Gonzalez were profiled in the documentary, "Play It Forward." The film initially premiered at the Opening Gala during the Tribeca Film Festival.[36]

Filmography

Year Title Role
2004 Married to the Kellys Himself
2006 Celebrity Cooking Showdown Himself / Contestant
2006 A.I. Assault Derek Williams
2007 Hard Knocks: Training Camp
with the Kansas City Chiefs 		Himself
2008 Oprah Winfrey's The Big Give Judge
2010 One Tree Hill Himself
2014 NCIS Special Agent Tony Francis
2015 You Can't Lick Your Elbow Host
2017 XXX: Return of Xander Cage Lead Soldier

References

  1. ↑ "Gonzalez on Pro-Football-Reference". rbref.com. Retrieved 2007-12-21.
  2. 1 2 3 Winslow, Jonathan (July 3, 2014). "Parade grand marshal at long last". Huntington Beach Wave. The Orange County Register. p. 2.
  3. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez, #88, Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs". Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  4. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez". NFL.com. Retrieved 2007-10-22.
  5. 1 2 3 "Tony Gonzalez, #88, Tight End, Kansas City Chiefs". Archived from the original on 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  6. ↑ "Why Tony Gonzalez Chose Football Over Basketball" STACK.com, 2010-01-02
  7. ↑ Tucker, Doug (1997-04-19). "Chiefs grab Gonzalez with first pick". Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  8. ↑ "Jason Witten of Dallas Cowboys sets NFL mark for TE catches – ESPN Dallas". Espn.go.com. 2012-12-23. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  9. ↑ Weiberg, Steve (2007-10-14). "Gonzalez grabs TD record as Chiefs get back to .500". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  10. ↑ "Gonzalez breaks tight ends record for most catches". Associated Press. 2007-12-30. Retrieved 2008-08-21.
  11. ↑ Gonzalez requested trade in October of 2008
  12. ↑ "Chiefs trade Tony Gonzalez to Falcons". USA Today. April 22, 2009. Retrieved 2009-04-23.
  13. ↑ Falcons-Dolphins Game Notes Archived September 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  14. ↑ "Watch Atlanta Falcons vs. New Orleans Saints 09/26/2010". NFL.com. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  15. ↑ Clifton Brown (2011-03-31). "Lockout has Tony Gonzalez pondering future – NFL – Sporting News". Aol.sportingnews.com. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  16. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons news". www.ajc.com. Retrieved 2013-03-28.
  17. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez signs contract extension with Falcons". Kansascity.com.
  18. ↑ "CHIEFS REGULAR SEASON OPPONENTS DETERMINED FOR 2012". KCChiefs.com.
  19. ↑ "Atlanta Falcons withstand Seattle Seahawks' furious rally to advance". NFL.com.
  20. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons agree to $14M contract". NFL.com. March 15, 2013. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  21. ↑ Roth, Tobias (December 28, 2013). "Tony Gonzalez Will Play His Final NFL Game On Sunday". WebProNews. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  22. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez added to Pro Bowl".
  23. ↑ "Tony Gonzalez joins 'The NFL Today' as CBS Sports analyst in 2014". CBSSports.com.
  24. ↑ "New Information about NFL's Tony Gonzalez". Christian Vegetarian Association website. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
  25. ↑ Gonzalez, Tony (2009). The All-Pro Diet: Lose Fat, Build Muscle, and Live Like a Champion. Rodale Books. p. 256. ISBN 1-60529-951-0.
  26. ↑ "Redefining a Position, With 15 Years of Catches". NYTimes.com.
  27. ↑ Dean, Rick (2008-06-09). "Newborn gives KC star new outlook". Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  28. ↑ "Chiefs' Gonzalez saves man from choking to death". Associated Press. 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  29. ↑ Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson Among Stars at Inaguration SI.com, January 21, 2009
  30. ↑ Extreme Clean 88 Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  31. ↑ Shadow Buddies Retrieved 2010-09-07.
  32. ↑ Atlanta Falcons Tight End Tony Gonzalez Joins Forces with All Pro Science, Inc. PRWeb, November 24, 2009.
  33. ↑
  34. ↑
  35. ↑ "You Can't Lick Your Elbow". National Geographic Channel. Retrieved March 9, 2015.
  36. ↑ Eng, Matthew (June 11, 2015). "2015 Tribeca ESPN Sports Film Festival Documentary". Retrieved April 13, 2016.
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