NFL Great Tony Gonzalez Speaks out on His Passions and the League He Left Behind

Former NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez is one of the best to ever play the game and has seen just about everything during his 16 years in the NFL and time spent commentating on the game for CBS since then. 

Gonzalez is also passionate about a lot of things—his former teams, the position he played as well as what it takes to make it in the NFL and stick around for as long as he did. He sat down with Bleacher Report to talk about his passions as part of a media blitz through Marriott Rewards looking for the NFL's most passionate fan. 

Voting is currently open on fan-submitted videos through December 19 and the six most passionate fans will be flown to the Pro Bowl to meet their favorite players. Gonzalez said he loves giving back to fans and wishes he could've given this sort of lasting memory to a fan while he was a player in the league. 

It was an interesting way to put it—lasting memory—because Gonzalez lasted in the NFL longer than almost any of those we would've once considered his peers. Entering the league in 1997, Gonzalez was drafted just a pick after Warrick Dunn who left the league in 2008. The first pick that year was Orlando Pace, who left the league in 2009. 

Eventually, Gonzalez and Pace will likely join Walter Jones as members of that stellar first-round class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton. 

I asked Gonzalez what he would tell a player starting today to help him stay in the league as long as he did at such a high level:

John Bazemore/Associated Press

"First, take care of your body. I think nutritionally you gotta put the good stuff in it to stay alert. And, there’s a way to learn how to get hit, to roll with the hit. Comes with the experience that comes with the game. Start understanding angles that people take. There’s also knowing when you need those two yards. You gotta know when to say when. Some of it’s luck, too."

From 2009 to 2013, Gonzalez played for the Atlanta Falcons for what was basically a second career after a long and storied history with the Kansas City Chiefs. He famously experimented with a vegan diet in 2007 before adding back in lean meats and fish. He's long been an advocate of clean eating, something which had set him apart from many of his peers even as he may have simply been an early adopter of lifestyles and food choices more and more players seem to be making. 

"For me, I just decided on no junk food, fast food; no sodas—try not to have too much sugar, not a lot of red meat. Sleep is huge. The older you get, the more important it is. Eight hours of sleep consistently, you won’t need a cup of coffee. Making sure your body is flexible. After practice, some guys would go to the weight room, I would go get another stretch. You make a living with your body."

Don't think Gonzalez has given up that lifestyle in retirement, either: "I’m sure I could’ve gone out again this year. My body never failed me, ever."

Gonzalez said being around football and playing in the league for so long has given him an interesting perspective on the kind of lasting memories he's hoping fans can have with this Marriott promotion: "Merlin Olsen came out to visit us in Pop Warner football and gave a great message on hard work and dedication. If you win this contest, you get a chance to meet your hero just like that."

Gonzalez also noted playing on the same field with guys like Marcus Allen and Warren Moon and then getting to play—a generation or two later—with young superstars like Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan and wide receiver Julio Jones. 

About Ryan, he said:

"He can be a great football player in this league. He’s already really good, but he can get better if they protect him better. He’s got the weapons. I’ve seen him play well, and he’s still performing pretty well, the interceptions are a little high, but some of those are at the end of the game when you’re trying to make a play. He’s going to keep learning. He’s willing to pay the price. He’s obsessed with football, all the great ones are."

Gonzalez is also passionate about the position he spent so much of his life playing. Though it's arguable whether he is the best tight end in NFL history, he's certainly in the discussion. I also think it's more than fair to say he played the position at a high level longer than anyone. So, if there's an expert on tight ends, it's Gonzalez and then a fair margin between the next guy. 

Gonzalez loves the tight end play in the NFL today, saying, "the position is definitely changing. I didn’t come off the field, that’s the kind of tight end I like," and listing New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski as another "old-school, beast mode" kind of tight end. 

"These guys are so big and strong. I just wanted to run great routes. I’d watch guys like Jerry Rice run routes and try to run routes just like them. When I first got into the league, I had a guy on my team, Andre Rison who ran great routes.

These guys are all so big. I love the way [New Orleans Saints tight end] Jimmy Graham goes up and gets the ball. I like watching [Cleveland Browns tight end] Jordan Cameron catching the ball in traffic. Catching the ball away from your frame like those guys can makes you unguardable."

For tight ends like Gronkowski, Graham and others, a career both at the level and with the longevity of Gonzalez may seem like a big mountain to climb, but things like diet and learning how to get hit are just the symptoms of what the next crop of NFL stars need to emulate.

If anyone in the league today or in the near future finds a way to copy the passion Gonzalez brought every single week, it should be just as fun to watch and probably just as memorable. 

Michael Schottey is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report and an award-winning member of the Pro Football Writers of America. Find more of his stuff on his archive page and follow him on Twitter.