Chiefs Teicher: Chiefs players feel for Gonzalez

**Tribal Warfare** · 10-13-2008, 11:53 PM

Chiefs players feel for Gonzalez
By ADAM TEICHER
The Kansas City Star

The Chiefs pretended it was a normal day. After their weekend off, they gathered for meetings and a brief walkthrough practice and tried to put their focus on preparing for Sunday’s opponent, the Tennessee Titans.

They found that dealing with the business at hand wasn’t so simple, knowing that Monday could have been their last day with tight end Tony Gonzalez.

The NFL trade deadline is today, making it the last day for the Chiefs to honor Gonzalez’s request for a deal. The Chiefs also have tried to trade running back Larry Johnson, but had failed to attract any interest.

Not so with Gonzalez. Several teams, including the Giants, Packers and Bills, expressed an interest, and the Chiefs have until 3 p.m. to work out a trade.

Gonzalez departed the locker room Monday before he could answer any questions about his desire to leave Kansas City after 11-plus seasons, the last nine of which ended with Gonzalez playing in the Pro Bowl.

That task was left to his teammates, who as a whole seemed to understand Gonzalez’s wish to end his career playing for a Super Bowl contender rather than a rebuilding team such as the Chiefs.

“He wants to win,” said cornerback Patrick Surtain, who was sent to the Chiefs in 2005 after asking Miami for a trade. His request, though, had more to do with wanting a lucrative new contract than playing for a more successful team.

“We’re a very young team, and we knew we were going through some ups and downs this year. He doesn’t feel he has many more years to play, and he wants an opportunity to win. Who can blame him? He has every record you could want individually, but he wants the chance to play for the Super Bowl.

“He feels he has a better chance somewhere else.”

Even with Gonzalez, the Chiefs have been challenged the last season and a half to merely make a first down, much less score points and win games. Their offense would be further weakened if he’s traded.

Through five games, Gonzalez is second to Dwayne Bowe on the Chiefs with 21 receptions. He also has two touchdowns.

“It doesn’t affect us as a whole,” guard Brian Waters said. “It’s an individual deal between Tony and the organization. This is one guy’s deal. It’s not a team thing.

“People want to think that all of a sudden there’s this big commotion and controversy within the locker room. Guys look at it and say, ‘That’s his deal.’ It doesn’t have anything to do with Brian Waters. Whatever happens, we’re still going to play football on Sunday. We still have to get our minds ready to do that.

“Some guys will be upset because he’s a great teammate. Some guys will know it’s a business and will be happy for him wherever he goes. That’s just the way it is in this business. We don’t get all tied up emotionally with other players’ situations. We just don’t.”

If he’s not traded, the issue does have the potential to create some hard feelings in the locker room between Gonzalez and teammates who might feel he abandoned them.

“These players in this locker room have so much respect for Tony and what he’s done that there’s no way there will be any animosity,” Waters said. “None of these guys have been around long enough to have any animosity. There’s only a handful of guys who have actually played with him long enough to say, ‘This is a bad deal,’ or ‘This is a good deal.’

“If he’s still here, we’re going to need him to win football games. All of that talk about resentment and all of those other things, that’s brought up by (the media). I don’t think that happens in the locker room. There is mutual respect for guys.”

Waters scoffed at a suggestion that Gonzalez would give something less than full effort if forced to remain with a team he no longer wishes to play for.

“There’s no way that any guy in this room would ever believe that Tony Gonzalez, because he was not happy with something, would not perform up to his best,” Waters said. “First of all, he’s too vain as a football player not to do his best. That’s the reason why he’s so good. He doesn’t ever want to be second best. I would expect him to play even better because I imagine he may have a little chip on his shoulder.

“Tony Gonzalez is a professional. He’s always been a straight-up professional, no matter what the situation has been.”

10-13-2008, 11:53 PM	Topic Starter
Tribal Warfare Man of Culture Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Far Beyond Comprehension Casino cash: $-2967187	Teicher: Chiefs players feel for Gonzalez Chiefs players feel for Gonzalez By ADAM TEICHER The Kansas City Star The Chiefs pretended it was a normal day. After their weekend off, they gathered for meetings and a brief walkthrough practice and tried to put their focus on preparing for Sunday’s opponent, the Tennessee Titans. They found that dealing with the business at hand wasn’t so simple, knowing that Monday could have been their last day with tight end Tony Gonzalez. The NFL trade deadline is today, making it the last day for the Chiefs to honor Gonzalez’s request for a deal. The Chiefs also have tried to trade running back Larry Johnson, but had failed to attract any interest. Not so with Gonzalez. Several teams, including the Giants, Packers and Bills, expressed an interest, and the Chiefs have until 3 p.m. to work out a trade. Gonzalez departed the locker room Monday before he could answer any questions about his desire to leave Kansas City after 11-plus seasons, the last nine of which ended with Gonzalez playing in the Pro Bowl. That task was left to his teammates, who as a whole seemed to understand Gonzalez’s wish to end his career playing for a Super Bowl contender rather than a rebuilding team such as the Chiefs. “He wants to win,” said cornerback Patrick Surtain, who was sent to the Chiefs in 2005 after asking Miami for a trade. His request, though, had more to do with wanting a lucrative new contract than playing for a more successful team. “We’re a very young team, and we knew we were going through some ups and downs this year. He doesn’t feel he has many more years to play, and he wants an opportunity to win. Who can blame him? He has every record you could want individually, but he wants the chance to play for the Super Bowl. “He feels he has a better chance somewhere else.” Even with Gonzalez, the Chiefs have been challenged the last season and a half to merely make a first down, much less score points and win games. Their offense would be further weakened if he’s traded. Through five games, Gonzalez is second to Dwayne Bowe on the Chiefs with 21 receptions. He also has two touchdowns. “It doesn’t affect us as a whole,” guard Brian Waters said. “It’s an individual deal between Tony and the organization. This is one guy’s deal. It’s not a team thing. “People want to think that all of a sudden there’s this big commotion and controversy within the locker room. Guys look at it and say, ‘That’s his deal.’ It doesn’t have anything to do with Brian Waters. Whatever happens, we’re still going to play football on Sunday. We still have to get our minds ready to do that. “Some guys will be upset because he’s a great teammate. Some guys will know it’s a business and will be happy for him wherever he goes. That’s just the way it is in this business. We don’t get all tied up emotionally with other players’ situations. We just don’t.” If he’s not traded, the issue does have the potential to create some hard feelings in the locker room between Gonzalez and teammates who might feel he abandoned them. “These players in this locker room have so much respect for Tony and what he’s done that there’s no way there will be any animosity,” Waters said. “None of these guys have been around long enough to have any animosity. There’s only a handful of guys who have actually played with him long enough to say, ‘This is a bad deal,’ or ‘This is a good deal.’ “If he’s still here, we’re going to need him to win football games. All of that talk about resentment and all of those other things, that’s brought up by (the media). I don’t think that happens in the locker room. There is mutual respect for guys.” Waters scoffed at a suggestion that Gonzalez would give something less than full effort if forced to remain with a team he no longer wishes to play for. “There’s no way that any guy in this room would ever believe that Tony Gonzalez, because he was not happy with something, would not perform up to his best,” Waters said. “First of all, he’s too vain as a football player not to do his best. That’s the reason why he’s so good. He doesn’t ever want to be second best. I would expect him to play even better because I imagine he may have a little chip on his shoulder. “Tony Gonzalez is a professional. He’s always been a straight-up professional, no matter what the situation has been.”
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