VIDEO: Tony Gonzalez Says Goodbye to the Chiefs

by Joel Thorman on Apr 28, 2009 12:50 PM CDT in 2009 Draft Comment 48 comments

We've gone over this trade again and again so it's finally time to say goodbye to Tony Gonzalez in a Kansas City Chiefs uniform (H/T Fox4KC.com and tomahawk44 in the FanShots).

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And I'll take with me those memories...

to be my sunshine after the rain.

Tip a 40oz to him.

by rustdog on Apr 28, 2009 12:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Just a class act...

Thats all I gotta say.

by Cowboynchrist on Apr 28, 2009 12:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I think you gotta look at it this way,

Remove yourself as a fan and think if you were a 32 year old hall of famer and thought you had only 2 or so years to play. what would you do? If i were tony i would have left to and tried to get that ring too. But to me i dont think it would be meaningful to win a superbowl if it werent with the Chiefs if i were Tony.

by Haleystheman on Apr 28, 2009 4:32 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Favorite Chief ever

You will be missed!

by tomahawk44 on Apr 28, 2009 12:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Bye Tony G

I think I’ll keep your poster on my wall… you’re still gonna be a Chief in my mind.

by Vince D on Apr 28, 2009 1:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

So long sucker.

I wish him the best of Benedict Arnold treatment. Hey Tony, could you remove this knife from my back? My arms are sore from cheering for you for so long, only to have you seek out a team that YOU want to play for. You can take you words and shove them, because your actions tell the real story.

“I would have given 100% for Kansas City this year, but my selfishness got in the way of that and my agent found me a way out. I didn’t bitch and moan as much as Jay Culter, but the end result is basically the same. The Chiefs are perennial losers, and Atlanta has a better team.”

It’s a business, and I’m learning that there is no loyalty between teams and players or players and teams. So why should I feel like I owe any loyalty to any player? I appreciate all those playoff games you helped us win, Tony. All those superbowls you took our team to. (sarcasm in those previous 2 sentences by the way) All those records that you broke. All I can hope for now is that Atlanta suffers a severe regression and makes that 2nd round pick the Chiefs traded you for worth more than a glorified 3rd rounder. Since Tony decided to leave us, I’m wanting compensation that makes OUR team better. I want the Falcons to lose, because they are not the Chiefs, and because we have a pick that is riding on how successful or unsuccessful they are. I want that pick to be worth what we traded for it.

No offense Tony, but you can pack your bags and GTFO.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 1:44 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I love it

when people cry about Tony crying. He wanted a trade didn’t get it and played like a pro as always, And now he got it and still left like a pro.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 2:18 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who's crying?

When he said he wanted out midseason last year, I believe I said, “let him go as long as the Chiefs get compensated.” Or something to that effect.

However, this “I’ll miss this city and I’ll always be here” rigamarole is complete BS. Rip the band-aid off, get the hell out, whatever you want to call it. If you don’t want to be here, I don’t want you here. It’s offensive to me that he wants my support. Part of that is how much loyalty I have to the Chiefs, and am saddened to see such a great talent and player let go from the team. Especially Tony. So my reaction is a little more emotional than rational.

I don’t want him crawling back to this team in 3 years when we win the superbowl after he doesn’t win one in ATL. Because in all honesty, the Chiefs have just as good a shot to win one in that time span as ANY other team in the league.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:24 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

no loyalty?

tony has been nothing but loyal to this team for the las 12 years and until last year never complained. tony is the ultimate professional, he could have demanded his trade last year and sat out until he got what he wanted but he didnt. he played for the chiefs because he wasloyal to the team. tony would still be on this team if herm didnt blow the roster apart and screw up the whole org. tony just wants to win a playoff game and make a run at the superbowl to win a ring. selfish? maybe,however, he is the greatest tight end in the game and he deserved a shot. with this team or the falcons or any other team……..oh yeah and if he wasnt loyal to this team, then why would he say h will retire a chief??

by chiefs8288 on Apr 28, 2009 2:01 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He did ask to be traded.

What did he have to complain about? Playing in one of (if not the) most prolific offense for 3-5 years? Breaking NFL records for tight ends? Being well paid and having shots to win playoff games (3 playoff appearces I believe).

tony just wants to win a playoff game and make a run at the superbowl to win a ring

3 playoff games in 12 years is a 25% chance at getting further than 1-and-done postseason. That’s 25% of his seasons with the Chiefs that resulted in a GAURANTEED SHOT at the superbowl. How many other players in the NFL could say that? He’s had a few shots. It didn’t work out,

Before last season, during last season, and after the Chiefs season was over. He played because not playing would have only hurt his chances at going somewhere else. He played because he understands, “no play, no pay.” That’s not loyalty to the team, that’s CYA (covering your ass). And now it’s Herm’s fault Tony is gone? How much can we blame on that guy? Everytime something has changed recently, he’s been outspoken against it until it worked in his favor. He’s a selfish guy who says all the right things.

Do I loathe him for wanting to be a “winner?” No. When he wants to come back and retire as a Chief, I’ll have mixed feelings about the guy who was too good for MY team.

however, he is the greatest tight end in the game and he deserved a shot.

What does being the greatest at your position have to do with anything? How does any team have anything over any other team? It’s a league of PARITY. Pioli has set up the Chiefs to give them the best chance at winning now, while building for the future.

oh yeah and if he wasnt loyal to this team, then why would he say h will retire a chief

Because the Chiefs are the team that paved his way into Canton.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:19 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

ok

you want to make your self sound like a raiders or donkeys fan by all means go ahead. im not going to continue arguing this. he did what he feels is best for him plain and simple. it wasnt done out of distain for the chiefs, it was done because he feels its his best shot to win a ring. he may be right, he may be wrong but to outcast him like that is just wrong.

by chiefs8288 on Apr 28, 2009 2:31 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He

chose to leave. I choose to stand by my team. If you’re not in a Chiefs uni, then you can piss off. I won’t be rooting for Tony Gonzalez, the Falcons, or any other team in the NFL. I will continue to be a Chiefs fan. He is not a member of that team. My loyalty is like his, washable.

And as for you and you little buddy to call be a Raider or Bronco fan? You two need to get off your little soapboxes and welcome yourselves to the real world. I’ve been on this site and contributing for quite a while, and to question where my loyalty lies is completely absurd. Maybe if you got #88’s nuts off your chins for a couple minutes you’d realize that he broke records, but didn’t make this team win any games alone.

Tony is a great player that will be missed, but he’s not the team. I wished he would have found peace here. But he chose to remove himself from this team, and to that, I say “screw you. Goodbye”

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

i didnt question where your loyalties lie

i said thats what you sound like. look, i understand where our are comming from but all i am saying is that for all tony has done for the chiefs, just wish him well and let it go. show the guy a little respect. i know that his decision isnt popular but its what he thought was the best move for himself. i live in the real world and i conribute too. i am fully aware of all the records he broks since #88;s nuts were NEVER on my chin. anyway……

tony,
thanks for everything you have done for this team and the city. you will be missed!

by chiefs8288 on Apr 28, 2009 2:47 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I know why he did it

And I’m not going to loathe him for doing what he did. He chose another team over the Chiefs, because he thinks that team has a better shot at winning the superbowl than the Chiefs. So he essentially left saying that the Chiefs are no good, don’t have a shot, and oh by the way, leave the door open for me because I want to come back.

Screw that.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do believe

it is Herms fault for Tony wanting to leave, Lets look at what has happened Herm took over a team that went 10-6 and went 9-7 his first year then he got rid of almost all the vets and didn’t make the rookies earn their spots and we won 6 games the next 2 years. now the new powers have to undo all he did, they are bringing in vets and people to compete for spots not just giving them to rookies. If Herm would have kept some more vets to compete and teach the rookies we could be in the playoffs now not hoping in a year or two we can.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think most people

don’t share your view because they appreciate what Tony did for our team and sympathize with the fact that his hands have been tied by this organization. And anyone that believes a person should “take one for the team” and not do what’s in their own best interests is the one that needs a dose of reality.

by ChiefsDude on Apr 28, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think unlike most people

I realize that football is a TEAM sport, and the TEAM is more important than any ONE player. Because Tony feels HE is more important than the TEAM, HE CHOSE to slap his TEAM in the face by leaving for another that he feels can compete for a superbowl.

For him to say nicely, “Hey, you all suck, so I want to go to this other place where I think I could win,” to be taken as “classy?” That’s incredulous.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

unfortunately

this is big business first and foremost. Atlanta, in 1 year, turned things around and are now able to attract big name players to their organization. Unfortunately, our organization has done the opposite over the last decade. There’s really nobody to be mad at because the current front office didn’t cause this mess. Tony’s right. We did suck. I just hope he’s wrong about our immediate future. I hope he made a big mistake by leaving.

by ChiefsDude on Apr 28, 2009 3:25 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Did you just say nut’s of our chin,hmmmmmmmmm that’s a insult isnt it? I thought that was against the rules! I didn’t think you could say stuff like that on here!? Saying something that to the wrong person might have picking your chin off the ground!!
What offense we had last yr was mostly due to T.G, he carried this team on his back! Now everyone has to be ready to carry to load and not depend on T.G to save their ass on 3rd down! T.G being gone only help’s this team in the long run!
Saint being called a BRONCO fan in no way justifies you saying what you did!

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 28, 2009 6:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Speak english much?

You must be taking lessons from Shannon Sharpe, or the Geico Caveman on how to form sentences. I can hold my own being a corn-fed country bumpkin if you’re insinuating that the “insult” that was said to others was going to have you up in arms to fight me. This is the internet, guy. And yes, being called a gayders or a donkeys fan DOES in fact open up Pandora’s box of insults. Because quite frankly, there should be nothing worse to say to a Chiefs fan.

Take your nonsense elsewhere.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ever try not being a ASSHOLE?

Try it sometime jerk!!!!

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 29, 2009 7:31 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK

I never said i was wanting to fight you,i’m pretty sure i said( Saying something like that might have you picking your chin up off the ground!) meaning to a diehard T.G fan!!
I really don’t see how being called a Raider or a Bronco fan is worse than being told you suck T.G’s c**k! I don’t know if it’s just me but being told you SUCK c**k is alot worse than being called a fan of a rival team! So your opinion of how i type means nothing to me,because your statement show’s who the real punk is !!

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 29, 2009 8:12 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK fellas, let's just reign it in with the insults and language.

We’re all on the same team here. Agree to disagree.

Next thing you know we’ll have the FCC here and the Supreme Court making crappy rulings on football and we don’t want that ;)

Bill Parcell’s: "You are what your record says you are."

"My job is not to collect talent, but to build a team. Individuals make the Pro Bowl. Teams win championships. That is our goal."—Chiefs GM Scott Pioli.

by THE_TRUTH on Apr 29, 2009 8:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He started it....... :P

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 29, 2009 8:35 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

God damn

you’re a child. Get over yourself, you’re not that important.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 29, 2009 11:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was a joke!

Cant take a joke either, lol sad……..

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 29, 2009 11:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm guessing

you probably enjoy snot jokes too. I’ll make sure to keep my points and opinions simple so your five year old mind can wrap around them next time.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 29, 2009 12:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

You do that........

and make sure you add a insult to get your point accrossed!

by CPT.Caveman on Apr 29, 2009 1:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Embarrassing

You don’t sound like a chief fan to me, more like one of those BF Raider fans. I don’t agree with anything IISaiNtll says at all. TG deserves more repect than that. It’s a shame after all he gave to this team a so called FAN would spit on his name in this way.

I was upset, very upset, they let him go, but I don’t blame him one bit. He’s had the best career of any TE and wants what EVER player in the NFL wants, a SB ring. You can’t blame anyone for wanting that!

by dj_hindle on Apr 28, 2009 2:15 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

whats funny is that

tony said that he will go into the hall of fame as a chief. if thats not loyalty and dedication to the chiefs, i dont know what is

by chiefs8288 on Apr 28, 2009 2:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

The thing is

Player don’t go into the HOF officially attached to any particular team.

At least I don’t think so.

Arrowhead Pride

by Chris Thorman on Apr 28, 2009 2:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know if they do or not either

but all records are associated to whatever team they’re on. So essentially he’d go as a Chief anyway, since every record he’ll hold on retirement was done so as a Chief.

For example: Joe Montana

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 2:43 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Right (as usual)

An enshrinee, however, is not asked to "declare," nor does the Hall of Fame "choose" a team under which a new member is enshrined.

Link

by JComp11 on Apr 28, 2009 2:50 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

but there is a list

of what team you retire from and Marcus Allen is on ours. So you can choose what team you want.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 3:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's on both.

His profile lists the Raiders and the Chiefs both.

The list of HOFers by franchise shows him under both including the years he played for each.

by JComp11 on Apr 28, 2009 3:05 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think you may be talking about something different.

The only way you choose that is by ACTUALLY retiring from the team, signing a one day contract or whatever.

by JComp11 on Apr 28, 2009 3:20 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

you may be right

I just remember when Allen retired he said he wanted to retire a Chief even though he had did most of his stuff with the raiders.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 3:38 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Tony G I will miss you!

It will be sad not have him our team. Part of me hopes he gets a SB ring but part of me also hopes he regrets the decision to leave the Chiefs because we fair better in the next 3-4 years (insane optimism maybe). Either way, a true professional and more importantly a great player and all around good guy! Love you Tony G!

There's always next week,,, and when we run out of weeks, there's always next year!

by Spiderwomn69 on Apr 28, 2009 3:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Coming back the head

I really hope that the Falcons come to arrowhead sometime before Tony retires so I can stand and let him know how much i love him…especially after saying he is going to retire a CHIEF!!!….its really hard for me to understand how people are negative towards tony

by dwil2009 on Apr 28, 2009 3:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I was hoping

the new powers would not be like the past, trading away good players for the all wonderful draft picks ( jarred Allen, Dantee Hall) now Tony. I don’t think they can but i hope they can find someone to replace his numbers or it will hurt the team like loosing them two did. we only got a 5th for Dantee and Drummond was not even close to Dantee. And all everyone is saying now is we need a pass rusher well we had a great one. There is no way that 2nd pick next year will help the team this year or next. Tony will be missed on and off the field.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 6:20 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hall was never the same

player like he was after ‘05 (or was it after ’04?). Trading him for anything I consider a pretty good deal. Jared Allen was a somewhat similar situation as this, but Jared had off the field issues that were somewhat extrapolated to be more than what they were… could have been this environment too. There’s a lot more backwoods in Minnesota that aren’t going to be trouble for a high-profile guy (Quetico area comes to mind immediately). We certainly miss Allens production, maybe his character… although seeing some of the stuff he does on TV now is pretty annoyingly goofy, but that may be because he’s not on the Chiefs. However, the Chiefs got good players for the picks they got for Allen, and didn’t have to pay him 69 million dollars.

My crystal ball says that the Chiefs will not be drafting Aaron Curry. Their record at the end of 2009 will be 10-6. After witnessing the 2009 draft, their record will be 8-8.

by IISaiNtII on Apr 28, 2009 7:35 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

know what you are saying before you write please!

Dantee might have dropped some but he was still better than what we replaced him with. And on the Allen trade lets see brad cottam,DaJuan Morgan and Branden Albert is what we got for the trade and they didn’t help the chiefs as much as Allen did. And he did have a drinking problem but he had stopped before he was traded. and what are the some of the biggest needs of the chiefs pass rusher and return man. The trades have happened so all i can do is hope they will help us out in the long run, but all any of them have done is hurt us and so will the tony one. Pioli is just trying to clean up the mess that Herm left him as best he can.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 28, 2009 10:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dante, one E, Dante.

I’m in no way the spelling police but it’s driving me crazy. Plus you just told saint to know what he’s talking about so you should too.

The Allen trade was good for everyone involved. Knowing what we got out of it now I’m completely happy with it. Albert will be the anchor of our line for the next decade or more.

Getting anything at all for Hall was good. He was terrible when we traded him and terrible after we traded him.

by JComp11 on Apr 28, 2009 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

wow an extra e so sorry about that

If something like that (drives you crazy) I feel sorry for you. And as far as Dante goes he got hurt so only played in 7 games and still got 1060yds with a return for a TD. Lets see our return guy played 12 games and got 1004yds and no TD. So who was terrible? And if Dante was on our team who’s to say he would have gotten hurt. So even with getting hurt he was better than what we had is the point i was making.

by bringbacktheglory on Apr 29, 2009 8:43 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't bother me

until you tell someone else to know what they are talking about and you don’t even know how to spell the player’s name.

by JComp11 on Apr 29, 2009 1:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I read the comment stream and....

I just can’t believe so many of us think his going in to the HOF as a “Chief” makes up for walking out on us. Ladies and gentlemen, Tony is walking out on us, can’t you see it? Going in to the HOF as a Chief is no consolation. Telling us he’s going to “re-sign as a Chief for a day to retire” come on! That is the pure definition of a backhanded insult. If he said it at retiement it would be acceptable, but to premeditate it….that makes it so much worse.

I’m not saying we have to forget all he did as a Chief, only that we don’t have to wish him well on his way out.

just keep matriculating the ball down the field !

by SoCalChief on Apr 28, 2009 11:17 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

That's not my reasoning at all.

It’s a business. He didn’t sit out like a bitch because he demanded a trade and didn’t get it. He honored his contract and performed like a professional. It’s time for him to move on and that is fine with me. It’s perfectly okay for teams to cut players if they think it is in the best interest of the organization so why isn’t it okay for a player to look for a trade if the player feels it is in his own best interest?

I don’t think there is any difference between Tony moving on because he feels like he has a better chance to succeed in Atlanta and a person taking a job at a different business because he thinks he has a better chance to succeed at the other organization.

by JComp11 on Apr 28, 2009 11:40 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ok, and I think you missed my point

I agree with;

He didn’t sit out like a bitch because he demanded a trade and didn’t get it. He honored his contract and performed like a professional

I do not agree with;

It’s perfectly okay for teams to cut players if they think it is in the best interest of the organization so why isn’t it okay for a player to look for a trade if the player feels it is in his own best interest?

There is an expectation of performance on a player and being cut is a reality, they still get paid if it happens. Also, players have the options to use a “no trade clause” there’s no such thing as a “no whine clause” for team management.

just keep matriculating the ball down the field !

by SoCalChief on Apr 28, 2009 11:54 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

But I don't give a shit if they whine.

Who cares? Tony played with the intensity he always had and we got compensated (fairly, IMO). I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal that he wanted to go somewhere else. Sorry, but if I’d spent 5 years hearing “next year is our chance” I would stop believing it eventually too. He doesn’t have time to sit hear and listen to “one more year.”

by JComp11 on Apr 29, 2009 8:34 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs