"Yeah, you like that vert, Mr. Best CB in the NFL?"
This week may very well be our last week with Tony Gonzalez as a Chief. We all are acutely aware of Tony's multiple All-Time TE records, and I have become increasingly irritated by the media always qualifying his accomplishments by preceding everything with "Tight End." For, against, or indifferent to Tony's possible departure, we need to truly appreciate just what Tony has been so far...
An Elite Receiver.
Tony's Career stats:
Receptions: 916
Yards: 10,940
Touchdowns: 76
Before I start listing the extended stats, you can read this next player's stats and feel satisfied if you don't read any further.
Torry Holt - Elite WR
Receptions: 869
Yards: 12,660
Touchdowns: 74
Tony has more receptions and more touchdowns than Torry Holt. Yes, Tony was drafted 2 years before Holt, but Tony is still regarded as the best TE in the NFL, whereas Holt is widely accepted as past his prime.
However, even that comparison is pedestrian when looking at the All-Time NFL Leader Rankings.
Receptions...
Let's look at receptions. Tony has 916 at present.
With 916 receptions right now, Tony is the 9th All-Time NFL Leader in Receptions. He has averaged 76 receptions per year over his career. If Tony merely continues his 76 receptions per year average (BTW- he has averaged 89.6 receptions over the last 5 years) for the next 2 years and then retires, he will have 1,068 receptions.
At 1,068 receptions, Tony will be 4th All-Time.
If we give Tony a third year at a 50% reduction in performance from his career reception average of 76 and assume he only has 38 receptions in his third year from now, he would have 1,106 career receptions.
That would place Tony Gonzalez as the 3rd 2nd All-Time NFL Leader in Receptions (assuming Harrison doesn't play again, and Bruce & Owens retire after this year)...Here's the extended current rankings courtesy of walterfootball.com, really look at the names on this list:
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
Rec |
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
Rec |
1. |
Jerry Rice |
1,549 |
27. |
Michael Irvin+ |
750 |
2. |
Marvin Harrison (36) |
1,102 |
|
Charlie Joiner+ |
750 |
3. |
Cris Carter |
1,101 |
29. |
Andre Rison |
743 |
4. |
Tim Brown |
1,094 |
30. |
Gary Clark |
699 |
5. |
Isaac Bruce (36) |
1,003 |
31. |
Terance Mathis |
689 |
6. |
Terrell Owens (35) |
951 |
32. |
Joey Galloway (37) |
682 |
|
Andre Reed |
951 |
33. |
Herman Moore |
670 |
8. |
Art Monk+ |
940 |
34. |
Ricky Proehl |
669 |
9. |
Tony Gonzalez (32) |
916 |
35. |
Amani Toomer (34) |
668 |
10. |
Keenan McCardell |
883 |
36. |
Ozzie Newsome+ |
662 |
11. |
Torry Holt (32) |
869 |
37. |
Charley Taylor+ |
649 |
12. |
Jimmy Smith |
862 |
38. |
Bobby Engram (35) |
645 |
13. |
Irving Fryar |
851 |
39. |
Drew Hill |
634 |
14. |
Rod Smith |
849 |
40. |
Don Maynard+ |
633 |
15. |
Randy Moss (31) |
843 |
41. |
Laveranues Coles (31) |
631 |
16. |
Larry Centers |
827 |
|
Raymond Berry+ |
631 |
17. |
Steve Largent+ |
819 |
43. |
Rob Moore |
628 |
18. |
Shannon Sharpe |
815 |
44. |
Johnnie Morton |
624 |
19. |
Henry Ellard |
814 |
45. |
Chad Johnson (30) |
612 |
|
Keyshawn Johnson |
814 |
46. |
Keith Byars |
610 |
21. |
Muhsin Muhammad (35) |
807 |
47. |
Joe Horn |
603 |
22. |
Hines Ward (32) |
800 |
48. |
Sterling Sharpe |
595 |
23. |
Derrick Mason (34) |
790 |
|
Anthony Miller |
595 |
24. |
Marshall Faulk |
767 |
50. |
Curtis Conway |
594 |
25. |
James Lofton+ |
764 |
|
|
|
|
Eric Moulds |
764 |
|
|
Touchdowns...
How about Tony's touchdowns?
He currently has 76 TD's and is tied for 22nd on the All-Time NFL Receiving TD's list. He has averaged 6 TD's per year for his career. If he catches his 6 TD average for the next 2 years, he will have 88 TD's...which will tie him for 10th All-Time.
If we give him a 3rd year at a 50% reduction, he will have 91 TD's ...tied for 9th All-Time.
Again, here's the extended current Receiving TD's ranking:
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
TD |
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
TD |
1. |
Jerry Rice |
197 |
25. |
James Lofton+ |
75 |
2. |
Terrell Owens (35) |
139 |
26. |
Torry Holt (32) |
74 |
3. |
Randy Moss (31) |
135 |
|
Nat Moore |
74 |
4. |
Cris Carter |
130 |
28. |
Stanley Morgan |
72 |
5. |
Marvin Harrison (36) |
128 |
|
Hines Ward (32) |
72 |
6. |
Steve Largent+ |
100 |
30. |
Bob Hayes |
71 |
|
Tim Brown |
100 |
|
Wesley Walker |
71 |
8. |
Don Hutson+ |
99 |
32. |
Gary Collins |
70 |
9. |
Isaac Bruce (36) |
91 |
33. |
Raymond Berry+ |
68 |
10. |
Don Maynard+ |
88 |
|
Art Monk+ |
68 |
11. |
Andre Reed |
87 |
|
Rod Smith |
68 |
12. |
Lance Alworth+ |
85 |
36. |
Cliff Branch |
67 |
|
Paul Warfield+ |
85 |
|
Jimmy Smith |
67 |
14. |
Andre Rison |
84 |
38. |
Jimmy Orr |
66 |
|
Tommy McDonald+ |
84 |
|
Roy Green |
66 |
|
Irving Fryar |
84 |
40. |
Sterling Sharpe |
65 |
|
Mark Clayton |
84 |
|
Sonny Randle |
65 |
18. |
Art Powell |
81 |
|
Bobby Mitchell+ |
65 |
19. |
Harold Carmichael |
79 |
|
Charlie Joiner+ |
65 |
|
Charley Taylor+ |
79 |
|
Michael Irvin+ |
65 |
21. |
Joey Galloway (37) |
77 |
|
Henry Ellard |
65 |
22. |
Harold Jackson |
76 |
|
Gary Clark |
65 |
|
Tony Gonzalez (32) |
76 |
47. |
Keyshawn Johnson |
64 |
|
Fred Biletnikoff+ |
76 |
48. |
John Stallworth+ |
63 |
|
|
|
Carl Pickens |
63 |
|
|
|
|
Anthony Miller |
63 |
|
|
|
|
Keenan McCardell |
63 |
|
|
|
|
Terance Mathis |
63 |
Yards Receiving...
Tony is currently 21st All-Time.
He has averaged 912 yds per year for his career. Using the same methodology as earlier, Tony would have 12,764 yds for his career if he maintains his average for the next 2 years...placing him at 12th on the All-Time Yards Receiving list.
Again, let's give him a third year at 50% reduced production. That would be a 456 yard season, giving Tony 13,220 yards total.
He would be 9th All-Time in Yards Receiving (Yes, Moss is going to alter this projection).
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
Yds |
Rank |
Player (age), + - HOFer, Bold - Active |
Yds |
1. |
Jerry Rice |
22,895 |
20. |
Keenan McCardell |
11,373 |
2. |
Isaac Bruce (36) |
14,944 |
21. |
Tony Gonzalez (32) |
10,940 |
3. |
Tim Brown |
14,934 |
22. |
Muhsin Muhammad (35) |
10,857 |
4. |
Marvin Harrison (36) |
14,580 |
23. |
Gary Clark |
10,856 |
5. |
Terrell Owens (35) |
14,122 |
24. |
Stanley Morgan |
10,716 |
6. |
James Lofton+ |
14,004 |
25. |
Joey Galloway (37) |
10,710 |
7. |
Cris Carter |
13,899 |
26. |
Keyshawn Johnson |
10,571 |
8. |
Henry Ellard |
13,777 |
27. |
Harold Jackson |
10,372 |
9. |
Randy Moss (31) |
13,201 |
28. |
Lance Alworth+ |
10,266 |
10. |
Andre Reed |
13,198 |
29. |
Andre Rison |
10,205 |
11. |
Steve Largent+ |
13,089 |
30. |
Derrick Mason (34) |
10,061 |
12. |
Irving Fryar |
12,785 |
31. |
Shannon Sharpe |
10,060 |
13. |
Art Monk+ |
12,721 |
32. |
Eric Moulds |
9,995 |
14. |
Torry Holt (32) |
12,660 |
33. |
Drew Hill |
9,831 |
15. |
Jimmy Smith |
12,287 |
34. |
Hines Ward (32) |
9,780 |
16. |
Charlie Joiner+ |
12,146 |
35. |
Amani Toomer (34) |
9,497 |
17. |
Michael Irvin+ |
11,904 |
36. |
Rob Moore |
9,368 |
18. |
Don Maynard+ |
11,834 |
37. |
Raymond Berry+ |
9,275 |
19. |
Rod Smith |
11,389 |
38. |
Herman Moore |
9,174 |
How about one last stat?
Most Seasons with 50 or more Pass Receptions:
Tony is currently tied for 3rd All-Time with 11. As stated earlier, he has averaged 76 receptions per year. If he plays for 2 more years, he will be tied for 2nd All-Time.
If Tony has a 3rd year of 50 receptions, he will be alone in 2nd place All-Time.
Most Seasons, 50 or More Pass Receptions |
|
17 |
Jerry Rice, San Francisco, 1986-1996, 1998-2000; Oakland, 2001-02 |
13 |
Andre Reed, Buffalo, 1986-1994, 1996-99 |
11 |
Cris Carter, Minnesota, 1991-2000 Tim Brown, L.A. Raiders, 1993-1994; Oakland, 1995-2003 Shannon Sharpe, Denver 1992-98; Baltimore, 2000-01; Denver, 2002-03 Marvin Harrison, Indianapolis, 1996-2006 Isaac Bruce, St. Louis, 1995-97, 1999-2004, 2006-07 |
Tony isn't just a great Chief or just the greatest Tight End of All-Time. Tony is one of the greatest Receivers of All-Time