Gonzalez was ranked as one of the top tight ends in the 1997 NFL draft and was considered a top 15 selection. The Chiefs traded up from the 18th to the 13th selection with the Tennessee Oilers to draft Gonzalez.

Draft: Kansas City Chiefs in the 1st round (13th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. Hall of Fame : Inducted as Player in 2019 ( Full List ) Twitter: @TonyGonzalez88 · Instagram: tonygonzalez88

Considered by some to be the best tight end in NFL history, Tony Gonzalez was named to 14 Pro Bowls, 10 All-Pros, led the league in receptions in 2004, and holds multiple tight-end receiving records Rnd.

The Kansas City Chiefs selected Tony Gonzalez out of the University of California in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He retired 17 seasons later as the all-time leader in catches, yards and touchdowns by a tight end.

May 30, 2023 · By the end of the basketball season, NFL talent evaluators were claiming that Gonzalez would be the first tight end taken in the 1997 NFL Draft if he decided to leave school early. With nothing left to prove, Gonzalez decided to forgo his senior year and enter the draft.

NFL Draft: In the 1997 NFL Draft, Tony Gonzalez was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the first round (13th overall). This marked the beginning of an illustrious career that would see him become one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history.

Mar 12, 2024 · When Tony Gonzalez’s time as a Golden Bear came to an end, he was drafted 13th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. Throughout his 17 seasons in the NFL, Gonzalez constantly used his basketball skills to catch amazing passes over the outstretched arms of overmatched defenders.

Seen as an otherworldly talent at tight end, Gonzalez was touted as a top-10 draft prospect — and for a good reason. NFL scouts were intrigued by how his basketball background could translate...

After three successful years at Cal, Gonzalez chose to forego his senior season and enter the 1997 NFL Draft. Gonzalez was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 13 th overall pick. The Chiefs traded up five spots to make sure that they got their man.

Gonzalez became the first tight end to reach 1,000 career receptions, and just the seventh player in NFL history to reach those numbers. He edged closer to his dream of playing at the highest level in the NFL after the Falcons made the NFC championship in 2013.