Quotes from Tony Gonzalez

Here's what I always tell people: It's a mentality that you have to have in the NFL. It isn't about if you have the athleticism. When they bring you in, you've already shown what you can do athletically.

I've been very blessed. I don't want anyone to feel sorry for me.

I think consistency, that's one thing that I look back over my career. You could count on me catching around 80 balls a year or whatever, almost eight, nine touchdowns. And I only missed two games out of 17 years, I'm pretty proud of that, too.

Would I have been a great basketball player? No. But I think I would've been a good basketball player, one of those grinders getting eight to 10 rebounds. I would've been like Kobe and been in the gym five to seven hours a day and never missed a 10-foot jump shot. I would've been a great role player for a team.

I've always wanted a ring. That's been my main goal as a player over the last 15 years of my career. You're really trying to get that ultimate goal.

My career, it's turned out to be something more than I ever thought and more than I ever dreamed. It's been an unbelievable ride. It's amazing.

I read all these books about excellence, and then I went into spirituality, and all these books were really about leveling up. Being the best version of yourself.

I love philosophy and spirituality and leveling-up books and science books.

My grandfather spoke fluent Spanish and I have family members who speak fluent Spanish.

Our goal isn't to go undefeated. Like, 'Hey, we're going to have an undefeated season.' Our goal is to win every game we're playing. And there's a difference.

There's nothing else like playing at Arrowhead Stadium.

While I was playing, I started a company that didn't work out. I got a taste of the business world and realized I'm not going to be a 9-to-5 guy in the office after football is over. When the opportunity came for television. I thought, 'Let's go for it,' even though it was nerve-racking. I enjoyed it.

You should really cast a big net when it comes to life and learning. In the end, you're so much better for it.

Game after game, year after year, you never stop thinking about the balls you get your hands on and don't catch.

It ain't how you start out, it's how you finish.

When you go through those hard times, that's when you ask those questions that normally you wouldn't. If you win, you don't ask questions. You don't worry about it.

I miss the fears. I miss that. I miss going over the middle and not knowing if I'm going to make that play. I think that's the part of the game you miss the most, that excitement of it. Then you think of the physical part as a retired player and I'm like, 'hell no.'

It's all about how you treat your body. It's proper rest and proper nutrition.

What's more important than your nutrition? What's more important than workin' out? It begins with gettin' a good night's sleep.

I've been on some really good teams, but we weren't able to get over the hump. It's offense, defense and special teams, and then the ball has to go your way.

There's a lot of growing you can have when you're in adversity, when you're in a losing situation.

There are so many other way more popular athletes than me.

I love Atlanta, even the city.

I can't dwell on the past. It's over, there's nothing I can do about it.