Tony Gonzalez has no regrets. The Atlanta Falcons tight end opted to postpone retirement for one more shot at winning a Super Bowl. A championship was the only box Gonzalez had yet to check off his Hall of Fame NFL career. In the preseason, the Falcons gave him the best option to achieve that goal. However, Atlanta's season took an unexpected turn for the worse and they will not make the postseason. Despite falling short of the Super Bowl again, Gonzalez is not putting on the pads for 2014.
The tight end has remained relatively healthy this year. Despite a few toe issues, he is healthy and has started every game this season. There appears to be no reason why he would not play at least one more year. After postponing retirement, Gonzalez did sign a two-year contract, so technically speaking he could come back for another shot.
"Of course I want to win a Super Bowl, but at the same time I'm very happy with what I've accomplished and the relationships I've made over the years," Gonzalez said, via the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "Everything happens for a reason, and hopefully it makes me a better person in the process. I'm never going to be able to put on these pads again. It's a good, thing, too. It's going to be sad, but at the same time, it's going to be enlightening. It's a whole new chapter waiting for me. I can say that I'm going to enjoy these last five weeks."
Gonzalez realizes his final four games in the NFL are approaching, but he has no regrets for what his career has looked like. He is happy that he played out one more despite the lack of wins being recorded by the Falcons.
"I can't complain about anything," Gonzalez said. "Obviously, the Super Bowl - I'm sure those questions are going to be asked a lot more as it gets closer to the end. But for me, why would I want to change anything?"
There were plenty of trade rumors surrounding the tight end right around the NFL deadline. Many wanted to see him finish out an impressive career with a contending team, something the Atlanta Falcons no longer were. Gonzalez refused to jump ship, remaining committed to the team he had dedicated the last few seasons to.
General manager Thomas Dimitroff noted that when the Falcons first gave up a second-round draft pick to the Kansas City Chiefs back in 2009 to get Gonzalez, he though the tight end might play two seasons. Instead, Gonzalez has been a steady performer, adding another half-decade worth of impressive numbers . No matter what though, Gonzalez has every intention of calling it a career in 2013.
