People of Kansas City: in the future, please make sure that you fully chew your ribs before swallowing, because Tony Gonzalez might not be there to save you. The future Hall of Famer told Adam Schefter of THE NFL NETWORK that he’d be willing to consider a trade to a Super Bowl contender at some point down the road. This came as news to the Chiefs official who told THE NFL NETWORK he couldn’t see that happening.
Although Gonzalez has been a Chief his whole career, and is as much the face of their franchise as anyone in pro sports, this season has shown that anyone can wind up playing anywhere under the right circumstances. And while Gonzalez isn’t asking for a trade, he doesn’t sound that opposed to the idea of playing for another team:
“Yeah. I definitely could, but I love being a Chief,” Gonzalez said Wednesday. “But if it was something where it was going to take three or four years or whatever before they get this thing right, I think it would be in their best interest to maybe see what they can get and send me off.
“But I love being a Chief and I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else at this point. At the end of this season, hopefully I don’t have to ask that. Hopefully we get this thing turned around. I’ve got a family now. I came here when I just turned 21, so this is home. That’s where I’m at right now with that.”
I think anyone who has watched the Chiefs play for any length of time this season can let Gonzalez know that it’s most definitely going to take “three or four years or whatever” to turn the team around, meaning that if he wants to win, he needs to leave.
It’s too bad that he’s played in relative obscurity in Kansas City: most people don’t realize just how great he’s been for so long, and what a class act he’s been to boot. The story notes that Gonzalez has never won a playoff game, which blows my mind: is he the best player in NFL history to never win at least one playoff game? If someone can think of one, I’d like to hear it.
Does someone want to remind me again why Carl Peterson still has a job?
5:07 pm on September 25th, 2008
I'm pretty sure everyone (including Herm Edwards) would just ship from KC to play for a contender. What a brutal team, though at least they can still make fun of The Rams.
5:07 pm on September 25th, 2008
It could be worse for Chiefs fans. Their very own Derrick Thomas could have died in a car accident.
Sh*t.
5:57 pm on September 25th, 2008
As a KC boy, I'm crying.
5:59 pm on September 25th, 2008
Just imagine if Al Davis was running the Chiefs.
6:59 pm on September 25th, 2008
Al Davis running the Chiefs = the giant, Earth destroying black hole people have been worrying about that Super Collider creating.
When I think of Al Davis and the Chiefs, I just think of Marcus Allen scoring another touchdown for KC while Al Davis stares blankly from the owner's box.
8:23 pm on September 25th, 2008
Hmmm…He would look pretty good as a Patriot. With a hobbled Brady returning next year, he'll need all of the help he can to get rid of the ball quickly. No more 7 step drops amd risk big hits. Gonzalez would be such a great asset to the underneath game, and he still has the wheels to stretch the field.