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FACT SHEET BIOS, RECORDS, QUICK FACTS, NOTES AND QUOTES TONY GONZALEZ is one of eight members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Class of 2019. CAPSULE BIO

17 seasons, 270 games … First-round pick (13th player overall) by Chiefs in 1997 … Named Chiefs’ rookie of the year after recording 33 catches for 368 yards and 2 TDs, 1997 … Recorded more than 50 receptions in a in each of his last 16 years (second most all-time) including 14 seasons with 70 or more catches … Led NFL in receiving with career-best 102 receptions, 2004 … Led Chiefs in receiving eight times … Traded to Atlanta in 2009 … Led Falcons in receiving, 2012… Set Chiefs record with 26 games with 100 or more receiving yards; added five more 100-yard efforts with Falcons … Ranks behind only in career receptions … Career statistics: 1,325 receptions for 15,127 yards, 111 TDs … Streak of 211 straight games with a catch, 2000-2013 (longest ever by tight , second longest in NFL history at time of retirement) … Career-long 73- yard TD catch vs. division rival Raiders, Nov. 28, 1999 …Team leader that helped Chiefs and Falcons to two division titles each … Started at for Falcons in 2012 NFC Championship Game, had 8 catches for 78 yards and 1 TD … Named First-Team All- Pro seven times (1999-2003, TIGHT END 2008, 2012) … Voted to 14 Pro Bowls … Named Team MVP by Chiefs 1997-2008 (2008) and Falcons (2009) … Selected to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of 2009-2013 2000s … Born Feb. 27, 1976 in Torrance, . Height: 6-5; Weight: 250 Uniform : 88

THE NFL’S 100TH SEASON KICKS OFF AT ENSHRINEMENT WEEK POWERED BY JOHNSON CONTROLS

MEDIA SITE Media, especially those credentialed to cover the 2019 Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls, should regularly access the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s media site. The site is continually updated with information related to the week’s events, logistics, maps and schedule. In addition, materials related to the Hall of Fame Game (Broncos vs. Falcons) and the Class of 2019 (, , , TONY GONZALEZ, , , and ) are posted to the site. The site is located at www.ProFootballHOF.com/media. Password: Excellence RECORDS CAREER RECEIVING STATISTICS Year Team G No. Yds. TD Gonzalez ranks among the best in several NFL and team record lists. Among his most impressive NFL 1997 Kansas City 16 33 368 2 records at the time of his retirement were: 1998 Kansas City 16 59 621 2 [2nd] Most Receptions, Career - 1,325 1999 Kansas City 15 76 839 11 2000 Kansas City 16 93 1,203 9 [5th] Most Yards Receiving, Career - 15,127 2001 Kansas City 16 73 917 6 Also, Gonzalez held these Kansas City Chiefs 2002 Kansas City 16 63 773 7 records in 2008, his final season with the team: 2003 Kansas City 16 71 916 10 [1st] Most Receptions, Career - 916 2004 Kansas City 16 102 1,258 7 [1st] Most Receptions, Season - 102 (2004) 2005 Kansas City 16 78 905 2 2006 Kansas City 15 73 900 5 [1st] Most Consecutive Games with a Pass Reception - 131 (2000-08) 2007 Kansas City 16 99 1,172 5 2008 Kansas City 16 96 1,058 10 [1st] Most Yards Receiving, Career - 10,940 2009 Atlanta 16 83 867 6 Gonzalez won the NFL Receiving title in 2004 when 2010 Atlanta 16 70 656 6 he caught 102 passes for 1,258 yards. 2011 Atlanta 16 80 875 7 Gonzalez’s full bio and listing of records held are 2012 Atlanta 16 93 930 8 found in the 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame Media 2013 Atlanta 16 83 859 8 Guide (Download at www.ProFootballHOF.com/ media. Password: Excellence) HALL OF FAME QUICK FACTS

Gonzalez is the fourth longtime member of the Atlanta Falcons in the Hall of Fame joining , and .

He also is the 13th longtime member of the Kansas City Chiefs elected to the Hall. The other 12 include:

• • JOHNNY ROBINSON • • • • • • • • DERRICK • •

Gonzalez is the ninth tight end in the Hall and the first to be elected in hisfirst year of eligibility. The other eight tight ends in the Hall are: • • • • • JOHN MACKEY • 9th • • Gonzalez ranks eighth in most games played by a Hall of Famer with 270. The seven players with more games played are: • MORTEN ANDERSEN (382) • (340) • JERRY RICE (303) • (302) 270 • BRUCE MATTHEWS (296) • (295) • (279)

Gonzalez is the second Hall of Famer to attend the Unviersity of California, Berkeley, where he competed on the football and teams. The other Hall of Famer to attend Cal is .

Gonzalez was elected to 14 Pro Bowls, which has only been accomplished by four other players in the history of the NFL: • • 14 • BRUCE MATTHEWS •

Drafted 13th overall by Kansas City in the 1997 NFL , Gonzalez becomes the fourth member of the 1997 draft class to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

• was drafted first overall by the St. Louis Rams • WALTER JONES was selected sixth overall by the 1997 • JASON TAYLOR was picked 73rd overall by the

Gonzalez wore the number 88 his entire career. Seven other Hall of Famers wore 88 as their primary number including: • • CLARENCE “ACE” PARKER • • CHARLIE SANDERS • JOHN MACKEY • #88 •

Gonzalez played in the 2003 Pro Football Hall of Fame Game for Kansas City. The Chiefs won 9-0 over the . The game ended with 5:49 left in the third quarter due to lightning and heavy rain. 2003

Gonzalez was elected in his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame. There have been 86 players elected in their first year of eligibility including three in 2019. The other first- 86ballot enshrinees in the Class of 2019 are CHAMP BAILEY and ED REED.

Gonzalez shares a birthday of Feb. 27 (1976) with fellow Hall of Famer (1933). Feb. 27 Gonzalez is the 23rd member of the Hall of Fame born in California. The “Golden State” ranks fourth in most Hall of Famers behind (34), (31) and Ohio (27). The 22 other Californians in the Hall are: • • • • ANTHONY MUÑOZ • • LES RICHTER • • • • BOB ST. CLAIR • • • • • • O.J. SIMPSON • • • HUGH MCELHENNY • BILL WALSH • •

ACCORDING TO TONY

• “That’s what football has always taught me. On the football field, you’re going to be afraid. Adversity is going to come towards you. You can’t from it.”

• “Life takes off on the other side of fear…that’s where you want to go…the only way you get good…is to put yourself in that uncomfortable situation.”

• “He [God] blessed me…He gave me my heart, my determination, and my leadership. That’s why I’m going to make it in the NFL.”

• “Football is my love. Football is what I’m going to do. I’m a football player first.”

• “Life is short. You better get out there and do what you want to do ...... while you can.”

• “Tight end is one of the hardest positions to play in football. It’s right up there with and . You have to have the skills of a and the strength of an offensive lineman, and it’s not easy to balance those two.”

“I love football. The games are a pure rush. By the time I’m done playing, I want to be among the best tight ends ever to play the game.” Photo: Gonzalez takes the field in his final NFL game in 2013. © . WHAT OTHERS SAY

• “The guy was a fierce competitor and wanted to be the very best at his position … Tony was always there, always in the right place, always going to catch the ball.” – Former Kansas City Chiefs

• The skill set that Tony Gonzalez has is the standard that most teams are looking for in a tight end.” – Former Atlanta Falcons

• “When I see Tony, I see myself out there. He is an playing football. I think he can put up numbers that won’t be reached for a while.” Hall of Fame Tight End KELLEN WINSLOW

• “Tony Gonzalez, I used to play in the with him. Man, I used to always say if you could take one guy back with you who would you take back? I’d take Tony Gonzalez. I think he was the best tight end ever to play.” – Former NFL Quarterback Peyton Manning

• “Tight end never used to be a glamour position until Tony came along. Now you’ve got kids growing up asking to play tight end because it’s all about getting the pigskin.” – Former Chiefs

• “He has unique versatility. I don’t look at Gonzalez as a tight end. I see him as, well, I don’t know what the heck he is.” – Oakland Raiders Head Coach

• “Tony was such an important part of our organization. He was the go- Photos: (top) Mike Smith and to guy. Matt (Ryan) had so much confidence in him.” -Atlanta Falcons Gonzalez in 2013. © Associated General Manager Press. (middle) Gonzalez and Priest Holmes hug after Holmes scored a in a 2004 • “He’s really something special. He can do so many different things game. © Associated Press. that he’s really revolutionizing the position.” – Hall of Fame Tight End (bottom) Gonzalez, Peyton Manning and at OZZIE NEWSOME the . © Associated Press. TONY GONZALEZ, CLASS OF 2019

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Tony Gonzalez out of the University of California in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He retired 17 seasons later as the all-time leader in catches, yards and by a tight end.

While Gonzalez made an immediate impact as a rookie, his breakout season came during his third year when he led the Chiefs in receiving with 76 catches for 849 yards and 11 touchdown receptions to earn his first of 14 Pro Bowl nods. That same season, he was named first-team All-Pro for the first of seven times. He followed that season with an even better year in 2000 when he caught 93 passes for 1,203 yards and nine touchdowns.

Other than his rookie year, Gonzalez never caught less than 59 passes in a season and surpassed 80 catches eight times. He led the NFL in receptions in 2004 with a career-high 102 and reached 1,000 yards for the second time in his career.

Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in 2009. It was with the Falcons, in 2012, that Gonzalez reached his lone conference championship game. Unfortunately, even though Gonzalez caught eight passes for 78 yards and a touchdown, the Falcons fell to the 49ers 28-24.

Gonzalez’s final career numbers are staggering. They read 1,325 receptions for 15,127 yards and 111 TDs.

Gonzalez eclipsed 900-yards receiving in a season nine times and had 10 or more TDs in a season three times. Photos: (top) Gonzalez plays in a 2001 game. © Associated Press. He played in 270 regular season games and missed just one game during Gonzalez blows a kiss to the his career. At the time of his retirement, Gonzalez ranked second in Atlanta crowd in his final NFL career receptions (1,325), most seasons with 50 or more receptions (16) game. © Associated Press. and most consecutive games with a reception (211). He also ranked fifth all-time in receiving yards (15,127).

Gonzalez led the Chiefs in receiving eight times and the Falcons once. He is a member of the NFL All- Decade Team of the 2000s.

NFL SEASON KICKS OFF IN CANTON The season kicks off each year in Canton with a spectacular celebration, unlike any other, centered around the Enshrinement of the newest class of enshrinees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The annual Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival including Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls features 18 diverse events that attracts 700,000 fans from across the country and the world.

For full details, schedules, and tickets, visit: www.ProFootballHOF.com or www.ProFootballHOFEF.com.

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