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http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Ram ... -4876.html

You just can’t stop Tony Gonzalez.
by Joe Fortenbaugh
October 08, 2012, 04:00 PM EST


THE LEAD

Despite the choreographed end zone celebration and downright freakish athletic ability, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton is not Superman. If the NFL does have a player who most closely resembles Clark Kent’s alter ego, he resides in Atlanta and goes by the name of Tony Gonzalez.

Whether you’ve noticed or not, Gonzalez currently leads all NFL players in receptions (39) entering Monday night’s showdown between the Texans and Jets. Now at 36-years of age, Sunday marked the 80th consecutive regular season start for a player who has missed just two games in 245 opportunities dating back to his rookie campaign in 1997.

Sunday’s win over the Redskins (13-123-1) was simply the latest standout performance in a career overflowing with exceptional efforts. New England’s Rob Gronkowski and New Orleans’ Jimmy Graham are the new breed of tight end that’s becoming all the rage in the NFL, but it’s Tony G who is once again demonstrating that Father Time has about as good a chance of slowing him down as an opposing safety.

The thought process here is, does he go out on top? Certainly the level in which he's playing indicates he could continue to play the position, but does he want to go out at his 'relative' best? If we won the SB, I have no doubt he'd walk away. Perhaps even if we win a playoff game he would walk away, but no one can ever tell what's in the heart of a man. All I can say is, I'd like to see him back with another young basketball playing TE to help along on his way out the door to the HOF.

I hear ya, almost seems that Tony is getting better? Gonna be hard to walk away when he is playing at such a high level. Anyways, what a great pic up by TD and team.

Tony has made such a great impact on the game and in Atlanta as a Falcon! I sincerely hope he stays at least one more year! He will definitely be missed when he goes.

I agree, I want him to stay another year just for the wealth of information he could give a young TE. Unfortunately, I don't think it's going to happen.

Tony seems intent on walking away from the game while he's on top. And while he can still probably play another 3-5 years in this league at a relatively high level, I think soon he's just going to bite the bullet and just have to leave it behind. He'll have a long, lucrative career as any analyst/broadcaster. We'll be seeing him on ESPN/NFL Network the following off-season without a doubt, and he'll become one of our favorite talking heads.

Just to get in a little TD bashing here , I think they missed a golden opportunity by not bringing in a youth stud TE to get some of Tony's greatness via osmosis these past 3 years. OH well, we'll probably take a TE with our #1 pick next year, and hopefully it's going to be a player so good that it doesn't really matter. It looks to be a very deep group in next year's draft if the juniors come out.

Hopefully the Falcons hold up their end of the bargain by at least winning one playoff game, if not making a deep run.

Tony is a smart guy who'e been around and seen some sh*t. Im sure he is fully aware that he could continue to play at a high level: but he wants to be able to do 'Dancing with the Stars' ( that's a dead lock)...He wants to be able to walk in his 40's.

My mancrush continues

Straight up beast. And classy. Man he needs a ring!

Who would've thought that Gonzo would have been the best TE fantasy wise with guys like Graham, Gronk and Vernon Davis in the league. It would be so awesome to send Gonzo out with a SB in New Orleans. If he were to win a Super Bowl with the Birds then I am pretty sure he would choose to go into the Hall of Fame as a Falcon, which would be sweeeeeeeet (Eric Cartman voice)