Tony Gonzalez listed questionable
Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez (88) runs the ball against Washington Redskins cornerback E.J. Biggers (30) during the second half at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons defeated the Redskins 27-26. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Atlanta Falcons veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez consistently gets his snaps limited throughout the week in an effort to keep him fresh on gameday, so he was given a day of rest on Wednesday and barely practiced on Thursday before receiving increased reps on Friday. Gonzalez is a player who has played without practicing before this season, so he’s unlikely to receive full reps in any given week. The future Hall of Famer definitely needs practice more than rest, and he’s probably going to continue to be listed questionable on the Falcons official injury report for the rest of the season.
According to ESPN NFL Nation’s Vaughn McClure, the Falcons are listing Gonzalez as questionable this week with a toe injury, but Gonzalez is fully expected to play tomorrow against the San Francisco 49ers. The Falcons will be hoping to have some success through the air against a tough 49ers defense, and Gonzalez will be a crucial part of that endeavor.
In what should be his final year in the league, Gonzalez has hauled in 71 passes for 740 yards and seven touchdowns as an important constant in the middle of the field in a season that has yielded so little in the form of constants for the Falcons and star quarterback Matt Ryan. Gonzalez has played a critical role as a possession receiver and red zone target, and those 71 receptions and seven TDs show just home amazing he is. Even at 37 and with trade rumors circulating before the year (some were wondering if the Falcons would ship him off to his old team in K.C.), he still managed to put up a terrific campaign and isn’t done yet. I mean, I would be surprised if he didn’t get to 80 catches by the time the year is up.