Tony Gonzalez says he’s sweating through his last training camp.
Gonzalez, the Falcon who owns the NFL tight end records for catches (1,149), yards (13,338) and touchdowns (95), told reporters today that he is just about certain he will call it quits after the 2012 season. He did, however, offer him a little bit of wiggle room by stopping just short of saying he’s 100 percent sure he’s retiring.
“I would say that I’m 95 percent sure, just in case,” Gonzalez said. “I talked to my family this offseason. I’ve had a great run. I feel pretty good about where I’m at as a player. I just want to make sure that I end at the top. I don’t want to be one of those players towards the end — nothing against those guys who’ve done it like that in the past — but I want to make sure that I’m at the top of my game when I do go out.”
The 36-year-old Gonzalez isn’t quite the same player now that he was at his best in Kansas City, when he had four different seasons with more than 90 catches and more than 1,000 yards. But he was still good for a solid 80 catches and 875 yards in 2011, his 15th season in the NFL. And he’s ready for one more good year, before he walks away for good.