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Tony Gonzalez is a charismatic, well-spoken dude, so it seemed inevitable he would be heading to the studio after concluding his Hall of Fame career. That said, this is even faster than I anticipated.
From CBS Sports' press release regarding the hire:
Former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez joins CBS Sports as an analyst for the CBS Television Network's NFL pre-game show, THE NFL TODAY, and will contribute across multiple CBS platforms including INSIDE THE NFL on SHOWTIME and CBS Sports Network's Sunday pre-game show, THAT OTHER PREGAME SHOW (TOPS). The announcement was made today by Sean McManus, Chairman, CBS Sports.
"Having just stepped off the playing field, Tony brings a fresh and insightful perspective," said McManus. "As a future Hall of Famer, we are excited for him to share his knowledge, experiences and opinions with our viewers. Tony was one of the most respected and hardworking players in the NFL and a tremendous teammate. We look forward to him bringing these attributes to CBS Sports."
The downside is that Dan Marino is out, as I always thought he was a solid analyst. Shannon Sharpe got a worse reputation than he deserved, but certainly losing two guys on the panel will mean some chemistry issues in the near future for CBS.
Gonzo is a great hire with a ton of football knowledge, and I'll enjoy watching him on Sundays. With any luck, this will also mean a reduction in the endless "will he or won't he return" questions that are sure to plague us throughout 2014.
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