Atlanta Falcons: Tony Gonzalez: ‘Proving people wrong’ makes 13th Pro Bowl sweetest
FLOWERY BRANCH—Going to the Pro Bowl isn’t getting old for Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez in part because it proves he’s not too old.
Gonzalez, 36, was voted to his 13th Pro Bowl team on Wednesday. He said this year’s honor might mean more than the others.
“Because the older you get the more people start to doubt you,” he said. “Just because of human nature. ‘You are getting old, there is no way you can move around like you used to.’ I’ve been hearing that. ‘Oh, he’s lost a step, he’s not as fast as he used to be.’
“It’s nice to go out there and play well and tell them, ‘What do you got to say now?’ That’s part of the fun is proving people wrong.”
Gonzalez reiterated his season-long stance that he’s most likely retiring after the season. When a reporter told him he’d said he’s “90 percent” sure, Gonzalez reminded him that he actually said he’s 95 percent sure.
“I see what you are trying to do,” Gonzalez joked. “Jedi mind trick.”
As Gonzalez’s career winds down, Julio Jones is just getting started.
Atlanta’s second-year wide receiver earned his first Pro Bowl selection. He said he’s helped by playing in a high-powered offense that also features Gonzalez, fellow Pro Bowl selection Matt Ryan and wide receiver Roddy White.
“It’s a great honor but I didn’t get there by myself,” Jones said. “Matt is doing a great job looking for me giving me an opportunity to go down field and catch the ball. Roddy and Harry (Douglas) and also Gonzalez are demanding that double team so I can have that one-on-one opportunity to go out there and showcase my skills.”
Gonzalez was named a starter for the NFC squad while Ryan and Jones are reserves. The teams were selected through voting by players, coaches and fans. The game is Jan. 27 in Hawaii, the week prior to the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
The Falcons (13-2) are the NFC’s top team but only placed three players on the NFL’s all-star squad. By contrast the 49ers (10-4-1), who have the third-best record in the NFC, had nine players named to the team and the Chiefs (2-13) have five representatives on the AFC squad.
If the Falcons feel slighted by not getting more players voted to the Pro Bowl squad they didn’t show it.
“I know there are teams with far worse records than we had and they had more guys in the Pro Bowl, but that’s how it goes,” Gonzalez said. “Who cares? Our goal is to play in a different bowl, not the bowl in Hawaii.”
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75 comments Add your comment
KC Falcon
December 28th, 2012
12:30 pm
Seattle defense= Choke. We’re not fooled. Again!
Choke…this is your life? It’s really a sad existence for you. You waste so much of your own time and worse yet, so much of everyone else’s time.
You watch a team you don’t like (although I still think you DO care about the Falcons), just to comment on them. You have a very childlike way of going about it.
You’ll have to explain to a bunch of loyal fans how it feels to be an A$$. That give you pleasure? You are just a sick individual.
Whadda Ya Know?
December 28th, 2012
12:31 pm
@Fetus a$$ Breath – you are on the money. That’s Choke or one of the Aints trolls pretending to be a Seattle fan. Any Seattle fan would have known they can’t stop Roddy, Julio, HD and Tony. Plus Koetter will have a few more twists for them to defend should they even make it to the Ga Dome.
KC Falcon
December 28th, 2012
12:34 pm
@seattle defense…
What about that Super Bowl against Pittsburgh?
Oh, right, you didn’t win that one, did you!
KC Falcon
December 28th, 2012
12:39 pm
@carolina…
Your hip-hop jersey-stripping QB DID fumble when all he needed to do was hold on to the football. But he spit it up. No controversy about that at all.
Nice defense, Panthers, against the bomb throw by Ryan to Roddy.
If they played again, the Falcons would kick the shirt out of the Panthers.
Ladies and gentlement, Wrestling Two!
December 28th, 2012
12:40 pm
DJango: I’ve got another word for you there the J is silent. JDOUCHE BAG.
Ladies and gentlement, Wrestling Two!
December 28th, 2012
12:44 pm
Gonzo, you dee man, mang. Hope you exercise your 5 percent right to rescind previous declarations about retirement. Like all of the ATL, thanks for the fun. You deserve the Super Bowl. Lastly, and I know this is personal, but would you come to my birthday party?
HOF as a Falcon if you win a ring. I can’t see any logical alternative. KC if you don’t.
Ladies and gentlement, Wrestling Two!
December 28th, 2012
12:45 pm
Why would anybody even mention the Panthers is this blog?
cdog
December 28th, 2012
12:46 pm
the falcons are ready but the defense especially, the secondary need to get more aggressive.the corners were showing calvin johnson and the lion recievers too much respect and cushion.they need to put in their minds that no reiever can beat them.thats too much room 10yards off recievers.the d-line especially john abraham need to crank it up.if the defense plays with a mind set that nothing will stop them, the falcons will win the playoff rounds and superbowl with ease.
Whadda Ya Know?
December 28th, 2012
12:56 pm
@cdog – 100% agree on your 12:46 comment.
Big Donnie
December 28th, 2012
2:21 pm
Seattle? Knickerbocker, please! You scored some points at home and beat San Fran. Yippee for you! Bring it to the Dome, b*tch!
Up in the air
December 28th, 2012
2:36 pm
Everyone is acting like it’s a certainty that we will play Seattle. There are still a TON of possibilities — we could be playing SEA, WAS, NYG, DAL, CHI, MIN, or SF in the divisional game, depending on how it all shakes out. This weekend will narrow the possibilities, but even then it will be the 4, 5, or 6 seed we will face.
Also, it’s not a given that Seattle will win on the road at either Washington or Dallas. No 12th man, no subpar competition, no 58-0 blowout.
BigBobbles
December 28th, 2012
2:53 pm
Seattle defence=loser choke my change!!
BigBobbles
December 28th, 2012
2:54 pm
django
DJANGO
December 28th, 2012
4:54 pm
The “D” may be silent, but the word on the street is loud that Matty Ice is a fraud.
inkspot
December 28th, 2012
5:17 pm
Tony Gonzalez is a living legend who is better than any “stud” rookie out there. How many insane catches has Gonzalez made this year? We are so lucky to have Gonzo on this team. Great job, Tony, and THANK YOU!
Priceless
December 28th, 2012
5:52 pm
More uless words from someone other than Smitty and Matty Melt who has never won a playoff game.
KC Falcon
December 28th, 2012
5:55 pm
We’d all like to silence the fraud that is you, troll.
Posts about The Falcons From Other Great Blogs issue #1 | Falcons - NFC South Daily | Atlanta Falcons Blog
December 28th, 2012
8:29 pm
[...] All along, he’s recited some variation of I’m 95 percent sure I’l more… Atlanta Falcons: Tony Gonzalez: ‘Proving people wrong’ makes 13th Pro Bowl sweetest – blogs.ajc.com 12/27/2012 FLOWERY BRANCH—Going to the Pro Bowl isn’t getting old for [...]
bigbobbles
December 28th, 2012
11:27 pm
Choke=django=seattle, chokes granpas’dnkydcks in NOL whadda man!!!!
bigbobbles
December 28th, 2012
11:32 pm
Yup…..and JSS, the same for you lovin Georgia and college teams!! Ernest wannabe.
NO I thinkus……………..nobody’s brain comes to mind.
bigbobbles
December 28th, 2012
11:33 pm
Also, one last thing…….Phil scks Choke……Go Falcons!!!
SUPERBOWL 44
December 29th, 2012
1:02 pm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrlOFDWkLL4 DID YALL FALCANT’S FORGET.NOW YALL HAVE HOMEFIELD GO SEATTLE.
Eastpoint
December 30th, 2012
2:49 am
Falcons are 13-2..Great regular season record, but what truly concerns me with the Falcons going in the playoffs is lack of running game…Falcons are 1 dimensional team and Coach Smitty and Matt Ryan just don’t look like a pair destined to reach the Super Bowl..Just something missing about this team
Still Gritz Blitz'n
December 30th, 2012
12:41 pm
Love to see Tony G help keep this ride goin’ for another year.
Thomas Clark
December 31st, 2012
6:42 am
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