Tony Gonzalez reveals he battled depression early in his career with the Chiefs
Tight end Tony Gonzalez made 10 straight Pro Bowl appearances with the Chiefs before he was traded to Atlanta after the 2008 season.
But Gonzalez, who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, had a rocky beginning. He didn’t start as a rookie and in his second season with the Chiefs, caught just 57.8% of the passes thrown his way.
Gonzalez said Friday on “Hotboxin’ With Mike Tyson” that he dealt with depression when things weren’t going well.
“It was my dark time, my second year in the league,” Gonzalez said. “I led the league in dropped passes, got benched twice. I was on my way to being a bust, and I was. It got pretty low for me. It’s the lowest I’ve ever been. Until then, I was All-American, I was this and that.
“I went through a depression. I was locking myself in a room, just drinking, feeling sorry for myself, and crying because I had never been through this stuff. And then from there, it gave me that thirst to learn, to really dive in. What is this thing called greatness and how the hell can I be like Mike Tyson or Jerry Rice? Why the hell did they make it and I’m struggling right now? It ain’t because I’m not big enough, fast enough, strong enough, I’ve got that. But (it) wasn’t connecting with my head or my heart.
“So I went on this and I’m still on this journey where I’m crushing books on Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and started studying people’s workout routine and I realized that there is so much more and I didn’t have that confidence, I lost that ... I lost that belief in myself.”
Gonzalez was asked what got him out of that dark place and how his career turned around. He said it took committing fully to football.
In college, Gonzalez was a two-sport star, helping Cal make the Sweet 16 in basketball. Gonzalez loved playing hoops, but the physicality of football kept him from embracing that sport.
That love didn’t happen until he reached rock bottom.
“I fell in love with the sport and ... the need for discipline disappears when you love what you do because where else would you rather be?” Gonzalez said.
“And that’s where I got to the point with football. I never stayed after practice to catch footballs. I never showed up early to catch footballs. But basketball, I did all that. I used to go to the gym for five hours a day.
“I never did that (in football) the first two years until toward the end of that second year when I finally figured it out and went through that dark time. ... Jerry Rice, you study his workout routine, I was like, ‘I’m not doing that.’ I just show up and do what’s required of me, and that makes you average.”
Gonzalez also was asked about the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, which he saw from the sidelines because he was working the game for Fox Sports.
“I played their 12 years, we couldn’t get it done, and so when I was there and they won and the confetti would drop, I had this feeling like so happy,” Gonzalez said.
“Obviously it wasn’t me and I know I didn’t win the Super Bowl, but it’s like watching one of your kids win I guess. You’re really happy for them. Even though I didn’t win, part of me won. So I’ll take 75% feeling.”
Here is Gonzalez’s chat with the Tyson (be aware there is a lot of cursing):
