Tag: Tony Gonzalez

London Fletcher reveals which NFL legends have written letters to support his Hall of Fame bid

London Fletcher named several NFL legends who’ve pushed for his induction into the Hall of Fame.

Former Washington linebacker London Fletcher belongs in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We’ve listed his accolades on this site many times and explained why his induction should be a no-brainer.

In 16 NFL seasons, Fletcher played in 256 games and recorded 2,039 tackles, 39 sacks, 109 tackles for loss, 19 forced fumbles, 23 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries and three touchdowns. He appeared in four Pro Bowls [all with Washington], was a two-time second-team All-Pro, is in Washington’s Ring of Fame, and is also one of the franchise’s 90 greatest players.

Of his 16 NFL seasons, Fletcher spent the first four years of his career with the Rams, followed by five seasons in Buffalo, before finishing seven productive seasons in Washington.

Currently, Fletcher is a part of the Commanders’ exciting radio broadcast team with partner Bram Weinstein.

Ahead of Sunday’s NFC championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Fletcher joined “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams, discussing his disappointment with the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“It doesn’t make any sense,” Fletcher said. He then explained how some hire publicists and use other methods to increase their chances of making it into the Hall of Fame, but he chooses let his numbers speak for him.

It’s not only the numbers speaking for him, as Fletcher revealed some NFL legends, including Tom Brady, have went to bat for him.

“I have had letters written by Tom Brady to……it’s some heavy hitters….Curtis Martin, bunch of Hall of Famers, Tony Gonzalez, on my behalf that have competed against me and know what it was like. Shady (LeSean) McCoy just recently said I was the best linebacker he ever played against and he played against some great ones……..I don’t know what else I need to do.

The good news for Fletcher is he has Washington’s leadership on his side. The new ownership group will go far above what previous leadership did for retired players. Additionally, the Commanders’ recent success, which should not matter, could boost Fletcher’s case. The selection process for the Hall of Fame has needed revamping for some time

Tony Gonzalez openly questioned the Steelers’ lazy first half while the Ravens waxed them

The Steelers looked like they quit on Mike Tomlin.

With a playoff matchup against the hated Baltimore Ravens on tap, you’d think the Pittsburgh Steelers would’ve come ready to play with all hands on deck. You’d think they’d want to validate another 10-win season for Mike Tomlin and bring their absolute best against an AFC North division rival some are pegging for Super Bowl 59.

Through a half of play during Saturday’s AFC Wild Card game in Baltimore, this was not the case. Mike Tomlin’s Steelers were flat, uninspired, and looked like they wanted to be anywhere else. A massive 21-0 deficit in favor of the Ravens felt just and insurmountable at the same time because the Steelers seemingly weren’t even playing with any pride.

During Amazon’s halftime show, Tony Gonzalez took the Steelers to task.

He openly questioned their effort and wondered why it looked like Mike Tomlin’s team had no wind under its sails in a do-or-die playoff game.

It’s a fair question to ask:

Gonzalez is absolutely right. It’s one thing for the Ravens to blow the Steelers out because they have more talent. It’s another to make it appear like the Steelers don’t even care whether they win or lose — which was the case in the first half.

We’re genuinely not used to seeing that from a Tomlin-coached team, and it’s so jarring to witness it unfold.

Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez offers to pay the fine for Travis Kelce’s penalized touchdown celebration

Kansas City #Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez offers to pay the fine for Travis Kelce’s penalized touchdown celebration | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs can catch up on rest this weekend after sweeping a challenging schedule of three games in eleven days. Travis Kelce has plenty to celebrate after securing several milestones in the Week 17 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Kelce caught his 1,000th career pass and became the franchise’s all-time touchdown receptions leader in the eventful game. He tallied eight catches for 84 yards and a touchdown during the Christmas Day victory, capping it with a tribute goalpost touchdown in honor of Tony Gonzalez, who he surpassed for the record.

The Chiefs legend and current analyst for Prime Video’s Thursday Night Football coverage shared a pre-recorded video congratulating Kelce for breaking his franchise record.

“You know I had to show love to the greatest of all time,” posted Kelce on X. “You did mention you’d help me with the fine tho.”

Kelce’s penalty for his tribute celebration cost the Chiefs some yards on the extra-point attempt, but Harrison Butker was still able to convert successfully.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes reacts to Travis Kelce’s record breaking Week 17: ‘I wanted to do it at Arrowhead’

Kansas City #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes reacts to Travis Kelce’s record breaking Week 17: ‘I wanted to do it at Arrowhead’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes continued his hot streak of efficient play during the team’s victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day. During his postgame press conference with reporters, he expressed his excitement at finally connecting with Travis Kelce on his franchise-record-breaking touchdown reception.

“I was extremely excited. I’ve been trying to get him a touchdown the last few weeks. I wanted to do it at Arrowhead. That play that Xavier almost caught last week where I was trying to throw it to him didn’t happen.” said Mahomes. “Happy we got it done in the regular season. Now we can just play football. He’s done so much for this organization on and off the field. For him to have the career that he’s had has been special. I know at the end of the day, he wants to win the ring more than anything. It’s awesome he can have that accomplishment.”

Kelce surpassed 1,000 career receptions, now owns 1,004 catches, and has passed Tony Gonzalez for the team record in touchdown receptions. He became the first player in Chiefs history to reach 1,000 career catches and was just the third tight end in NFL history to reach the mark.

In his eighth season in the NFL and his seventh as a full-time starter, Mahomes has 245 career touchdown passes, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning for the most touchdown passes by any quarterback in his first eight years in the league.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce on paying homage to Tony Gonzalez with touchdown celebration: ‘A big tribute’

Kansas City #Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce on paying homage to Tony Gonzalez with touchdown celebration: ‘A big tribute’ | @EdEastonJr

The records continue to favor Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who added another milestone to his career. Kelce now owns the franchise record for most receiving touchdowns in history, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez.

Kelce helped lead the Chiefs to their 15th victory of the season on Christmas Day against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the game, he spoke with reporters about his record-breaking touchdown and honored Gonzalez with his celebration.

“I knew the score and that my guy, Harrison (Butker), had my back on the field goal. So it’s just showing Tony (Gonzalez) some love and just a big tribute to who he’s been in this organization, not only this organization but who he’s been for football,” said Kelce. “We know how iconic it was that he would dunk the ball over the goal post all the time, and I gave my best effort. I don’t know if I did it quite like him, but I gave it a run.”

Kelce was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after dunking the football through the goalpost, similar to Gonzalez during his playing days. He ended the game with eight catches for 84 yards and a touchdown, securing his 1,000th career pass.

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce set franchise record vs. Steelers in Week 17

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce set a franchise record in Kansas City’s Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh #Steelers on Christmas Day.

The Kansas City Chiefs are 15-1 after defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 17 and officially clinched the No. 1 seed for the AFC playoffs with their latest victory.

Star tight end Travis Kelce was a major contributor to the Chiefs’ offensive attack against Pittsburgh and led Kansas City in receiving yards when the final whistle blew.

Kelce also caught one touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter that cemented his place in the Chiefs’ franchise record books.

With his score against the Steelers, which was the 77th touchdown reception of his career, Kelce passed legendary tight end Tony Gonzalez for the most touchdown catches in Chiefs history.

Though his 2024 campaign got off to relatively a slow start, Kelce’s availability and reliability have been a key asset for Kansas City this season.

Expect Mahomes to continue looking Kelce’s way next time the Chiefs’ star duo takes the field together, whether that be in Week 18 or the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs.

Travis Kelce intentionally took a celebration penalty with his dunk as a cool tribute to Tony Gonzalez

Why Travis Kelce took that penalty.

As we saw earlier in Wednesday’s Christmas Day matchup between the Chiefs and Steelers, there are some celebrations that can draw penalties — even under the NFL’s relaxed celebration rules. But in Travis Kelce’s case, he took the penalty on purpose.

And there was an awesome reason for it.

Kelce entered the Week 17 matchup tied with Tony Gonzalez atop the Chiefs’ franchise leaderboard for touchdown receptions. Back in Gonzalez’s playing days, players were allowed to dunk over the goal post, and it became Gonzalez’s signature celebration. That was until Jimmy Graham’s dunk in 2013 bent the post and caused a delay against the Falcons. The league responded by banning dunks, but Kelce knew he had to pay tribute to the Chiefs legend regardless.

After Kelce hauled in that record-setting touchdown in the fourth quarter, he immediately went to the post and showed he had just enough hops at 35 to pull off the dunk. Kelce was indeed penalized for the celebration, but he shouldn’t expect to pay the fine for it.

Gonzalez already said he would personally pay the fine if Kelce decided to dunk after breaking the record.

That’s respect right there.

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Travis Kelce made history with impressive performance vs. Chargers

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce made history during Kansas City’s Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles #Chargers on ‘Sunday Night Football’

Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has become one of the most decorated players in the NFL since entering the league in 2013, and he set another record during the defending Super Bowl champions’ Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Kelce went into Sunday’s game with 11,965 career yards, just 35 yards shy of becoming the fastest tight end in NFL history to reach 12,000 yards.

When Kelce caught a seven-yard pass from quarterback Patrick Mahomes in the third quarter of the AFC West showdown, he officially passed Chiefs legend Tony Gonzalez to achieve the incredible feat.

The NFL paid homage to Kelce’s historic record in a post on Twitter:

Though Kelce hasn’t caught as many touchdown passes as he has in years past, he has remained Mahomes’ favorite target in the passing game and has been among Kansas City’s most productive players this season.

Stay tuned to see if Kelce can continue his run of dominance against the Cleveland Browns in Week 15.

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez, Travis Kelce 

Super Bowl champion Ben Utecht talks #Chiefs tight end legends Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce w/ @EdEastonJr

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Super Bowl XLI champion Ben Utecht.

In his interview with Easton Jr., Utecht discussed his collaboration with his alma mater, the University of Minnesota, on developing the Shower Sock and his thoughts on Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce revolutionizing the tight end position. 

“I grew up in Minnesota and chose to stay home and play for the Gophers,” Utecht explained. “I had a great career there, built many relationships, and was not just in the athletic department. When I came up with this idea, my first instinct was to return to the Bakken Medical Device Center at the University of Minnesota. The University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of the top four in the country, and I knew they would be able to direct and guide me through this process. They were just absolutely amazing.”

Utecht partnered with global med-tech executives Mario Nozzarella and Heinrich Von Solms to develop the product further. They secured US and international patents and trademarks and developed the manufacturing and chemical application process for what has now become the Shower Sockᵀᴹ.

The former First-team All-Big Ten tight end has appreciated the position’s growth since retiring in 2009. He acknowledged the greatness of two Chiefs legends at the position and how it’s evolved over the years. 

“When you think about the progression over the last 15 years, when I came out, Tony Gonzalez was the pinnacle,” Utecht said. “He was, at his all-time greatest, not an overly fast tight end but an amazing position receiver, somebody who was knowledgeable about the game and could incorporate that to put himself in positions on the field where he knew the gaps in the defense.

“Then, we progressed to Jeremy Shockey, and then we progressed to Rob Gronkowski. And now you’ve got this combination of players who have speed, know how to put themselves in the right positions, and have the courage to put their bodies into the block on the line of scrimmage. I think (Travis) Kelce is an excellent example of all the above.”

Utecht also credits the coaches’ game plans, including Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, with affecting today’s tight ends. 

“Something that goes a little undervalued or doesn’t get discussed is the coaching side; You must have an offensive staff and philosophy built toward the tight end,” Utecht explained. “You have to have a scheme that allows somebody with Travis Kelce’s talent to know how to take advantage of it, and they do that very well. The 49ers did that very well, and the Patriots, with Rob Gronkowski, did that very well. The Colts, with Dallas Clark and myself, did that very well.

“So when you have the suitable scheme and the right coaching strategy on top of the physical ability to do every aspect of the tight end position, which is second to the quarterback, has the greatest responsibility because you have to be in the backfield, you have to be in the slot, you have to be out wide, you’ve got to be on the line of scrimmage, you’ve got to pass protect, you’ve got to run block. So there’s nothing that the tight end doesn’t do, and so, yeah, hats off to what the Chiefs have done with his career, and he’s a great talent, and it’s no surprise that he’s going to go down in history as one of the greatest tight ends to play the game.”

For more information on the Shower Sock, log on to ShowerSock.com & follow on X, Instagram and Facebook

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes on connecting with Travis Kelce for another career milestone

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on connecting with Travis Kelce for another career milestone | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes helped his teammate Travis Kelce achieve another career milestone, tying Tony Gonzalez for the most touchdown receptions in franchise history. Mahomes explained the record-tying connection during his postgame press conference on Sunday.

“Yeah, I mean fourth-and-goal – (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid giving us a chance to get a touchdown. Trav (Travis Kelce) read it right. He kind of had a read-type option on that play and he got the DB (defensive back) to go outside. He (Broncos CB Ja’Quan McMillian) slips a little bit, and then Trav just kind of curls it in there.” said Mahomes. “I gave him the ball, and that was kind of my first read – I had a couple of other options there, but when your first read’s open, man, you just fire it to him.”

Kelce recorded eight receptions for 64 yards and one touchdown in the Chiefs’ Week 10 win over the Denver Broncos. He has 95 career touchdown receptions, including the postseason. The multiple-time All-Pro passed Jimmy Graham for the fourth-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history, including the postseason. He trails only Antonio Gates, Gonzalez, and Rob Gronkowski.

The Chiefs star also has 60 receptions this season. It is the sixth player all-time with at least 60 receptions in 11 consecutive seasons, joining Gonzalez, Larry Fitzgerald, Jason Witten, Jerry Rice, and Derrick Mason.