Tony Gonzalez Return Likely For More Money, Less Work

Future hall of fame tight end Tony Gonzalez’s return seems more and more likely by the day. After reports that he was wavering on retirement, it is now believed he will return to Atlanta for the right cost and less work.

The Atlanta Falcons would love nothing more than for Gonzalez to come back. He has been one of Matt Ryan’s most reliable targets the last four years. A fifth year seemed unlikely after Gonazalez said he was 95 percent sure he was going to retire.

Since losing the Championship game to the 49ers though, it looks like Tony Gonzalez might not be satisfied with how his career was going to end.

Anonymous sources close the tight end told Michael Silver of Yahoo Sports! that Tony Gonzalez will return “if they pay him $7 million and he doesn’t have to do training camp.”

At 37-years-old it’s not surprising Gonzalez would want to protect his body from the wear of training camp. His body needs to be as fresh as possible for the season, and hopefully the playoffs.

If Tony Gonzalez does return, health should only be a minor concern. In his 16 years career, he has played in every game except one. Missing training camp would be more of a precaution than a necessity.

It’s also important to note that Tony Gonzalez is a free agent. While it has been assumed that he will return to the Falcons if he decides to, he is free to sign anywhere. Still, Atlanta has made signing their free agents a priority and another source tells Michael Silver, “the money is there. Working out the days he can miss is the biggest holdup.”

Whether Gonzalez returns or not, the Falcons are expected to draft his successor this April in the draft. Learning under one of the NFL’s greatest tight ends of all time would be an exciting opportunity for any rookie entering the league.

Do you think Tony Gonzalez should return for one more year?