Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez says he’s 95 percent sure that he’s retiring after the season, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“I talked to my family this offseason. I’ve had a great run,” Gonzalez told Orlando Ledbetter. “I don’t want to be one of those players towards the end … I want to make sure that I’m at the top of my game when I do go out.”
Gonzalez, who’s entering his 16th year, has spent his last three years with the Falcons, and despite being 36 years old, his productivity hasn’t diminished. He finished last year with 80 catches and seven touchdowns in what was his most productive year in Atlanta.
Gonzalez would love to leave the NFL a Super Bowl winner, like former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis, but first, he'd need to win a playoff game. In his 15-year career, Gonzalez has never won a playoff game, and the Falcons, who've been to the playoffs three of the past four years, have yet to win one during that span.
If Gonzalez retired, third year TE Michael Palmer, who was signed as a rookie free agent in 2010, might be the next-best option for the Falcons. Palmer would represent a huge decrease in production at the TE position as he has only 15 receptions in his career or 1,134 fewer than Gonzalez.
Should Gonzalez retire, his teammates -- rookies and veterans -- would be best served to seek his nutritional advice. Gonzalez has remained relatively injury-free due to an impeccable workout routine and sound diet.
Follow Mike Singer's updates on the Falcons on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLATL.
