Tony Gonzalez Trademarks

Tony Gonzalez is a retired professional football player who played for almost two decades in the National Football League. He is considered by many to be one of the best tight ends to ever play the sport.

Anthony David Gonzalez was born in Torrance, California February 27, 1976, and was raised by his mother in Huntington Beach, California. He was an outstanding athlete at Huntington Beach High School, where he lettered in both basketball and football. He averaged 26 points per game in basketball and was honored as the Sunset League MVP and Orange County MVP. In football, Gonzalez played on both sides of the ball as a linebacker on defense and a tight end on offense and he was named first-team All-American at both positions. As a senior, he was named co-Orange County High School Athlete of the Year along with famed golfer Tiger Woods.

After high school, Gonzalez chose to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he continued to play both basketball and football. Just like in high school, he excelled at both sports. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in basketball and he also helped the team make it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen. In football, Gonzalez was coached by famed NFL coach Steve Mariucci. During his three years playing at the University of California, he had 89 receptions for 1,302 yards and eight touchdowns. He was named first-team All-Conference and a first-team All-American. He did not return for his senior year of college, because he decided to declare for the 1997 NFL Draft. He attended the 1997 NFL Combine where he ran a 4.83-second, 40-yard dash and had a 33.5-inch vertical jump.

Gonzalez was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round of the draft. During his rookie season, he played both at tight end and on special teams. He had only 33 receptions and two touchdowns during his rookie season, but he was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team.

His second professional season statistics improved greatly and Gonzalez recorded 59 receptions for 621 yards and two touchdowns. In his third season, he was named first-team All-Pro and voted to play in the Pro Bowl. He broke 1,000 yards for the first time in his career in 2000 when he recorded a total of 1,203 receiving yards as well as nine touchdowns. He was again named first-team All-Pro and voted to play in the Pro Bowl. After almost breaking 1,000 yards again in 2001, he was named first-team All-Pro and voted to play in the Pro Bowl for the third consecutive season.

In 2002, Gonzalez was named second-team All-Pro for his over 700 yards receiving and sent to his fourth straight Pro Bowl. He had 916 yards and ten touchdowns in 2003, which earned him first-team All-Pro honors and another trip to the Pro Bowl. In 2004, he racked up 1,258 yards with seven touchdowns, was named second-team All-Pro, and made a return trip to the Pro Bowl. Although he played in 16 games and had over 900 yards, Gonzalez only had two touchdowns in 2005, but it was still enough to get him voted through to the Pro Bowl once more.

Gonzalez recorded 900 yards and five touchdowns in 2006, earning him second-team All-Pro honors and a trip to the Pro Bowl. In 2007, he had 1,172 yards and five touchdowns again earning him second-team All-Pro honors and a Pro Bowl nod. His final season with the Kansas City Chiefs would be in 2008 and he recorded 1,058 yards and ten touchdowns. He was again named first-team All-Pro and sent to the Pro Bowl.

In April of 2009, Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons. He became the first tight end in NFL history to make 1,000 catches during their career, but his 867 yards and six touchdowns left him out of the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. Even though his 2010 statistics were similar to that of 2009, Gonzalez would be sent to Pro Bowl once again and would continue to return to the game until 2013. In 2011, Gonzalez had 875 yards and seven touchdowns and in 2012 he recorded 930 yards and eight touchdowns. In 2013, he recorded 859 yards and eight touchdowns.

Thanks to his outstanding NFL career, Gonzalez was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was also inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In 2021, Tony Gonzalez’s business entity, MNRG Group, LLC, filed a trademark application for “TONY GONZALEZ 88” (his jersey number was 88) and a logo that features the words “TONY GONZALEZ” for ponchos.