Tony Gonzalez (football player)

Anthony Gonzalez (born February 27, 1976 in Torrance, California) is an American football tight end who currently plays for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

High school

Gonzalez lettered in both football and basketball at Huntington Beach High School in Huntington Beach, California. He caught 62 passes for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior. He was also a first-team All-America selection as a tight end and a linebacker. In 1994, he was named Orange County and Sunset League MVP in basketball as he averaged 26.0 points per game, shooting 65 percent from the field (234 of 365) in his final year. And was named the Co-Orange County High School Athlete of the Year along with Tiger Woods.^*

College

In college he played basketball and helped his team, California, beat Villanova in the 1997 NCAA tournament to reach the Sweet 16. He tried out unsuccessfully for the Miami Heat.

NFL

Gonzalez was the 13th overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft. He is the only tight end in NFL history to have 4 consecutive games gaining over 100 yards receiving. In 2004, he set a record by catching 102 passes, the most ever caught by an NFL tight end in a single season. He is still rated the best tight end in the game. With a new offense more suited to him then Gonzo will separate himself from Gates even more.

Trivia

Gonzalez owns shares in several Baja Fresh restaurant franchises in Kansas City, and (with Warren Moon) in "Sutra" in Newport Beach, California. He also created the "Books and Buddies" program in 2003 to help bridge the gap between teenagers and senior citizens. This program received the Presidential Volunteer Award in 2004. Gonzalez also served as a consultant for the Oliver Stone film Any Given Sunday.

Tony is an ethnic mix of African American, Jamaican, Indian and Cape Verdian.

Gonzalez has also appeared on the MTV show Cribs, and most recently the NBC show Celebrity Cooking Showdown.

He has a son (born in 2001) from a previous relationship with Lauren Sanchez.

League Records

Single-season franchise record 102 receptions for 1,258 yards (12.3 avg.) with seven receiving TDs (6 in 2000 and 2004).

Team records

Career receptions (648 as of the end of the 2005 season)
Career receiving yards (passed Otis Taylor for Chiefs career receiving yardage, with 7,137 yards on November 13, 2005).
Consecutive games with reception (25 as of the end of the 2004 season)

Acting credits

Married to the Kellys (2004)
The Jersey (2000)
Arliss (2000)

External links

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