Background:   Born in Torrance, California to Joseph and Judy Gonzalez, the Pro Bowl tight end is an ethnic mixture of African American, Jamaican, Indian and Cape Verdian (a group of islands off the western coast of Africa colonized by the Portugese in the 15 century). 

Gonzalez excelled at both football and basketball at Huntington Beach (CA) High School, he was a first team All American as a tight end and a linebacker, catching 62 passes for 945 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior, he was also named Orange County and Sunset League MVP in basketball, averaging 26.0 points per game and 65 percent from the field (234 of 365) in his last year of high school, also sharing the title of Co-Orange County High School Athlete of the Year with a young prepster named Tiger Woods.

Gonzalez became a Communications major at the University of California-Berkeley, continuing both his football and basketball careers at the collegiate level.  He thrived under then head coach and future NFL coach Steve Mariucci’s offense as a junior in 1996, catching 46 passes for 699 yards (tops in the nation for TEs) (15.9 avg.) and five touchdowns, earning first team All-American honors along with first team All-PAC 10 accolades.  On the basketball court, Gonzo helped lead Cal to the “Sweet 16” stage of the NCAA Tournament, playing in 28 games, averaging 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, playing in all three of the club’s tourney games in place of injured Pac-10 Player of the Year, Ed Gray, and posted a season-high 23 points in Cal’s second round win over Villanova.

The Chiefs moved up five spots to take Gonzalez with the 13th overall pick in the first round of the 1997 Draft.  The former Berkeley Bear showed consistent production growth his first two years leading up to a breakout season in 1999, catching 76 balls for 849 yards and 11 touchdowns, becoming the first Kansas City tight end to make a Pro Bowl appearance and was also a consensus first team All-Pro selection.  Only Marvin Harrison had more touchdowns (12) amongst AFC pass-catchers that year and Gonzalez’s 11 scores were second all-time in Chiefs history to Chris Burford’s 12 touchdowns in 1962.

Gonzalez’s encore performance to the 1999 season was even more impressive, racking up 93 receptions (the fourth highest total by a TE in NFL history) for 1,203 yards (the fifth highest single season total in league history) and nine touchdowns and his 2000 totals led all tight ends that year in all three categories.

Since 2001, the six-time Pro Bowler has averaged 77.4 receptions, 953.8 yards and 6.4 touchdowns per season, including his first 100 reception year in 2004 when he caught a Chiefs single season franchise record 102 passes (the most by a TE in a season in NFL history) for 1,258 yards and seven touchdowns.

The ten year pro lost ground to San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates as the best tight end in the game last season when his numbers dropped to 78 receptions for 905 yards and two touchdowns compared to Gates’ 89 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 scores.

What’s new for 2006:  Aside from the Chiefs continued failure to add a bona fide No.1 receiver on the outside to release Gonzalez from the constant double teaming, the emergence of Larry Johnson as one of the top running backs in the league has truly hurt Gonzo’s value as a top tier fantasy tight end. Johnson became such an efficient weapon inside the 20 yards line for the Chiefs that their need to throw the ball near the end zone dwindled dramatically, shrinking Gonzalez’s opportunities to score.  The former Cal power forward should still retain decent value in leagues that emphasize yardage and points for receptions but it will be difficult for him to capture his six to seven touchdown norm this year and perhaps indefinitely.

Recent Priority News