And, once again, the curse of the 95-percent certainty comes to fruition.
Tight end Tony Gonzalez has informed the Falcons that he’ll return in 2013, according to Jay Glazer of FOXSports.com.
“After discussing it with my family and really, truly struggling with this decision, I informed the Falcons that I would like to return for one more shot,” Gonzalez told Glazer. “Considering how this season ended, I wanted to give it another run with Matt [Ryan], Smitty [head coach Mike Smith] and the guys we have in there. It was the first time I had won a playoff game and hopefully coming back once more we can take it one step further.”
Gonzalez consistently said during the 2013 season that he was 95-percent certain to retire. At one point, Falcons coach Mike Smith told PFT, “You hope for the five percent.”
“I was done, I thought I had my mind made up,” Gonzalez told Glazer. “This whole year I knew it would be my last but the way our final game ended and talking to all the guys in the locker room, in the end it was too difficult of a way for me to step away from the game. It’s not often in a career you’re around a group like we have down in Atlanta.”
The sure-fire Hall of Famer, arguably the greatest tight end in NFL history, passed on three TV offers.
“I am coming back for one reason and one reason only, the chance to win a Super Bowl,” Gonzalez said.
Given the moves that teams like the Seahawks and 49ers are making, it won’t be easy. But it will be fun to watch.