Former Bear Tony Gonzalez Elected To Pro Football Hall Of Fame
ATLANTA – Former Cal football player Tony Gonzalez was elected Saturday to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. The announcement was made at The Fox Theatre during a taping of the NFL Honors television show that will air Saturday on CBS at 9 pm ET/PT. The tight end becomes the second former Cal football player in the esteemed Hall following the selection of the late Les Richter as a member of the Class of 2011.
Gonzalez is joined in the Class of 2019 by Champ Bailey, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Ed Reed and Johnny Robinson.
"Tony Gonzalez is one of the greatest players in the history of the game," said Cal head coach Justin Wilcox, who is the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Dave Wilcox (Class of 2000). "Our Cal community is honored that Tony is a Golden Bear and tremendously proud of him for joining one of the most elite groups in all of sports."
The Class of 2019 will officially be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Aug. 3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, during the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Weekend that runs Aug. 1-4.
Gonzalez played three seasons at Cal (1994-96) before being selected by Kansas City in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He spent the first 12 of his 17 NFL campaigns with the Chiefs (1997-2008) before finishing his professional football career by playing five seasons in Atlanta (2009-13).
Below are notes on Gonzalez from his NFL and Cal careers.
NFL
Kansas City (1997-2008), Atlanta (2009-13)
• Member of the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team who ranks among the league's all-time leaders in receptions (2nd, 1325), receiving yards (6th, 15127) and receiving touchdowns (8th, 111) through the end of the 2018 regular season
• 14-time Pro Bowl and 10-time All-Pro selection including seven first-team All-Pro honors
• Had a streak of 211 straight games with at least one reception from 2000-13 that is the longest ever by an NFL tight end and was the second longest in NFL history at his time of his 2013 retirement
• Recorded more than 50 receptions in each of his final 16 NFL seasons (second-longest streak of all-time) including 14 campaigns with 70 or more catches and a career-best 102 receptions that led the league in 2004
• Had 31 games with 100 or more yards receiving
• Won four division titles including two each with Atlanta and Kansas City while playing in the 2012 NFC Championship Game with the Falcons
College:
California (1994-96)
• Member of the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2015
• Consensus first-team All-American and first-team All-Pac-10 selection in his final collegiate season as a 1996 junior when he had career highs of 46 receptions and 699 yards receiving with five touchdown catches
• Shares Cal's bowl record for most receptions with nine in the 1996 Aloha Bowl vs. Navy
• A two-sport standout who also starred in basketball and helped the Bears to the 1997 NCAA Tournament Sweet 16