Gonzalez broke mold for tight ends
The NFL has seen a renaissance at the tight end position this season with the play of relative newcomers such as Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez and Jimmy Graham, and even some older, more established players such as Jason Witten and Jermichael Finley.
But Tony Gonzalez is the guy who started it all. Certainly Mike Ditka and Long Island's own John Mackey established the identity of the position early on. But Gonzalez is basically the godfather of the modern-day tight end.
"That may be the best way to describe him," Falcons coach Mike Smith said Wednesday. "Without a doubt, he is one of the greatest tight ends to play the game. He is probably one of the first guys to change the position in terms of his athleticism . . . He was probably the first one of the basketball-type players and there have been a handful of followers that have had the success, but Tony's work ethic is unbelievable."
Graham and Antonio Gates played basketball in college, as did Gonzalez. So did former Giant Kevin Boss, although he never put up the numbers those former cagers did.
So what makes basketball players such good tight ends?
"I think it's just the position," said Jake Ballard, who was a top Ohio basketball player before he became a tight end at Ohio State and eventually with the Giants. "You want your tight end to be a big, athletic kid, and a lot of times those kids are the basketball players in the school, too. That just naturally happens . . . If you take an average-sized basketball player who is 6-6 or 6-5 and you put him on the football field, he's a big, athletic guy and he can make plays for you."
Gonzalez was the first of that mold, a hoops player at Cal who said in the past that he had no real interest in playing professional football. Now he's the NFL's all-time leader in touchdown receptions by a tight end with 95, which is 19 more than second-place Gates at 76. And he's second in receptions in NFL history with 1,149. Not among tight ends, among everyone; he trails only Jerry Rice.
Smith was even more impressed by Gonzalez's work ethic than his stats.
"It is amazing the three years that we have had him here and how he has mentored guys without saying a word to them," Smith said. "When you see a guy who is going to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer come out on the field 20, 30 minutes before to catch balls and work on his route-running and the top or stem of his route, it rubs off on everybody."
Gonzalez may be getting up in age -- he'll turn 36 next month -- but he's still among the best in the business, even with guys such as Graham and Gronkowski following in his footsteps. His 80 receptions this season ranked fourth among tight ends, and his seven touchdown catches were tied for fourth at the position. He recently signed an extension for next season with the Falcons.
"He's only gotten better with age," said Giants linebacker Michael Boley, who likely will be charged with covering him Sunday. "He's still doing it. He has little tricks of the trade, he knows how to get open, he knows how to use leverage against him, and that's what makes him even better."
Ballard said he was looking at some of Gonzalez's stats this past week and one popped out at him.
"This is his 15th year in the league," he said. "I mean, 15 years ago, I was 9 years old and he was a rookie. That's just crazy to me that he's been able to not only play that long but still contribute and dominate the way he has."
