The Province

Gonzalez a slam dunk Hall of Famer

Record-setting tight end joined by three defensive backs who tried to stop him in Class of 2019

- EDDIE PELLS

ATLANTA — For towering tight end Tony Gonzalez, this was a slam dunk.

The 6-foot-5 Gonzalez, who turned the celebrator­y post-touchdown dunk over the crossbar into an art form, was voted Saturday into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Joining him will be two more first-time nominees, Champ Bailey and Ed Reed, along with defensive back Ty Law and centre Kevin Mawae. Law and Mawae were in their third year as finalists.

The contributo­r nominees, Broncos owner Pat Bowlen and Cowboys and NFL executive Gil Brandt, each made it, as did senior Johnny Robinson, the defensive back who helped the Chiefs win Super Bowl IV.

Gonzalez started in Kansas City and finished in Atlanta, where voters met on the eve of the Super Bowl to select the class of 2019. They didn’t need much time to debate his worthiness.

The most prolific pass catcher at his position over a 17-year career, Gonzalez caught 1,325 passes (second in NFL history) for 15,127 yards (sixth) and 111 touchdowns. He was a six-time allpro, made 14 Pro Bowls and his 916 catches with the Chiefs set one of 22 franchise records he held upon his retirement.

He’ll be donning the yellow jacket this summer alongside three players who spent part of their careers trying to stop him.

This marks the first time more than two defensive backs have made it in the same class.

Bailey played 15 years — five with Washington, then 10 more with Denver. Like so many great cornerback­s, Bailey did not rewrite the record book, in part because he was, for a huge chunk of his career, considered the best cover guy in the league. Most quarterbac­ks simply avoided him.

Still, he made three all-pro teams, 12 Pro Bowls and had a none-too-shabby 52 intercepti­ons.

Reed won his only title in the 2012 season, his last with the Ravens. Running the defence from his safety position, he was a standout playmaker. Reed finished his career with 64 intercepti­ons and led the league in picks three times.

Law was a lot like Bailey, a rock at the corner who quarterbac­ks avoided. He finished with 53 intercepti­ons and three Super Bowl rings, all with the Patriots. His final five years were spent with Kansas City, Denver and two stints with the Jets.

Mawae, a second-round draft pick in 1994, played 16 seasons for the Seahawks, Jets and Titans. He made three allpro teams and joins Mike Webster, Dwight Stevenson and Jim Otto among the few true centres in the shrine at Canton, Ohio.

Bowlen goes in after what some believe was a longer than necessary wait. He is suffering from Alzheimer’s, which has put the Broncos franchise on uncertain ground. He was key in securing a number of multibilli­on-dollar TV contracts. The Broncos have largely prospered during his tenure, winning more than 60 per cent of their games.

Brandt spent 29 years with the Cowboys, where his keen eye for talent helped turn Dallas into “America’s Team.” He chose eight future Hall of Famers, including Troy Aikman, Roger Staubach, Bob Lilly and Bob Hayes. He employed computers for evaluating talent and came up with psychologi­cal tests for draft prospects.

Robinson was chosen by the Dallas Texans in the first AFL draft before the Texans became the Chiefs A teammate of his, Hall of Fame linebacker Willie Lanier, said Robinson was the key to a defence that helped Kansas City to two AFL titles.

 ?? — GETTY IMAGES FILES ?? Former Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, joining Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt and Johnny Robinson as the Class of 2019.
— GETTY IMAGES FILES Former Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday, joining Champ Bailey, Ed Reed, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Pat Bowlen, Gil Brandt and Johnny Robinson as the Class of 2019.

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