In a new ESPN the Magazine article, retired (for now) Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez muses about a possible return for 2014.
“Maybe, if the team is hot in November, 9–2 or something, I could come back for the last two months,” Gonzalez said.
The article by Seth Wickersham then quickly creates the impression that Gonzalez decided not long after saying that to call it quits, based apparently on an incident during a game against the Packers. Safety Morgan Burnett (who denies it) reportedly said, “F--k you! You ain’t sh-t!” to Gonzalez, and no Falcons teammates intervened.
On Friday, Gonzalez didn’t rule out a bandwagon-type return to the Falcons in 2014, if it appears that the team is on track for a Super Bowl appearance.
During an appearance on CBS Sports Radio, host Doug Gottlieb presented a hypothetical: the Falcons are 10-0, and they have yet to replace Gonzalez at tight end.
“Can I got back to the last couple of years when I used to say I’m 97-percent sure?” Gonzalez said. “I’d probably take them up on that offer, especially if they’re 10-0.”
Yes, he was laughing. But he could have laughed and said, “No. No. No. I’m done.”
He didn’t. Until he does, the door will still be slightly more than zero-percent open, even though he has said he’s 100 percent done.