For a guy who fumbled only once during the final 14 years of his illustrious 17-year NFL career, former tight end Tony Gonzalez may have inadvertently dropped the ball while discussing the recent play of his ex-teammate, Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.
As if there already wasn’t enough pressure heaped on Ryan’s slender shoulders, Gonzalez speculated that Ryan doesn’t just need to beat the Green Bay Packers in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game to gain national validity. The CBS analyst added that Ryan needs a Super Bowl to prove to himself that he belongs among the NFL’s elite.
That’s a lot to ask from a quarterback who’s never been to a Super Bowl and before this season was just 1-4 in the playoffs.