Tony Gonzalez, a former two-sport athlete from Cal who reinvented the position of tight end in the NFL, was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday in his first-year of eligibility.
Gonzalez, who played 17 seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, is the NFL’s all-time receiving leader among tight ends with 1,325 receptions, trailing only Jerry Rice (1,549) overall.
Other selections included safety Ed Reed and cornerback Champ Bailey, also first-ballot selections, as well as center Kevin Mawae and cornerback Ty Law.
Former Kansas City safety Johnny Robinson, a senior committee nominee, was enshrined as well as two contributors — former Denver owner Pat Bowlen and former Dallas personnel executive Gil Brandt.