When he discussed signing a one-year contract on New Year's Day, Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez said the decision to return for a 15th season was not as easy as in years past.
On Thursday, the future Hall of Famer let it slip that 2012 will indeed be his last.
In a video chat with ESPN conducted on Facebook, Gonzalez responded to a question from a fan about how much longer he would play by saying, "One year."
"I said that last year, though, and the year before," he said, "but I really do believe this is it."
Then he added that this was the first time his wife had asked if it would be his last, making it sound as if family pressure was starting to enter into the equation. He will be 36 later this month.
Gonzalez will play for just under $7 million this season.
Following the Falcons' season finale on Jan. 1 against Tampa Bay at the Georgia Dome, Gonzalez said retirement talks with his inner circle proved more intense than in years past. He said this time it took three or four conversations, but that everything on his checklist came up positive.
"I was able to play pretty well, to play up to where I wanted to play this year and I feel healthy," said Gonzalez on Jan 1. "The sky's the limit with this team. I think we can get even better, going into next year. But that's next year and I'm not even going to worry about that."
Next season will be Gonzalez's fourth with the Falcons after spending his first 11 in Kansas City. He has never won a playoff game in his storied career. The Falcons have made the playoffs in two of his three seasons in Atlanta, finishing 13-3 and with the NFC's top seed in 2010 and 10-6 this past season. However, they lost in disappointing fashion in both playoff appearances to teams that went on to play in the Super Bowl.
He holds the NFL career record for tight ends in receptions (1,143), receiving yards (13,289) and touchdown catches (95). His 1,143 receptions rank second in NFL history and first among active players.
The news could make it even more imperative that the Falcons draft a tight end with their second-round pick in April (they do not have a first-round pick because of the Julio Jones trade last year). Michael Palmer, an undrafted free agent in 2010 who played his second NFL season last year, does not seem ready to step into the role of a premier pass-catching tight end and veteran Reggie Kelly, a free agent who might not be retained, was used almost exclusively as a blocker this past season.
