Gonzalez sets sights on Super Bowl

ATLANTA | Former Chief Tony Gonzalez announced his goal on his
first full day as a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

“I’m here for one reason, and that’s to win the Super Bowl,” Gonzalez, an All-Pro tight end, said Friday. “I haven’t won a playoff game in my whole career. I want to come here, go to the playoffs and win playoff games. I want to go to the Super Bowl and win the Super Bowl.”

Acquired in a trade Thursday from Kansas City, Gonzalez reiterated that he will always keep the Chiefs first in his heart, but he quickly acknowledged that Atlanta offered him a better chance to compete for a championship.

“The feeling is mutual,” Gonzalez said. “Kansas City is where I grew up. I’d just turned 21 when I got there. The last 12 years, it’s just been great. I’m going to miss it, but I’m looking forward to being a part of what’s happening here.”

Atlanta, which last year had a rookie quarterback in Matt Ryan, a first-time head coach in Mike Smith and a first-time general manager in Thomas Dimitroff, is coming off an 11-6 season that ended with a wild-card loss at Arizona.

“Tony still looks like he’s 25 years old, and we believe he’ll be an integral part of this offense,” Dimitroff said. “It’ll open things up in the red zone. It’ll open things up on the outside for our receivers. I think it’s going to be a good situation for Michael Turner, as well, in play-action.”