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Chiefs trade Gonzalez to Falcons for 2010 draft pick

Faced with the opportunity to trade Tony Gonzalez six months ago, the Chiefs ultimately couldn’t bring themselves to send away a franchise icon.

In yet another sign of how things have changed at Arrowhead Stadium, new general manager Scott Pioli and coach Todd Haley acted swiftly Thursday. They pounced on Atlanta’s latest and best offer of a second-round pick in the 2010 draft in return for Gonzalez, a 10-time Pro Bowl tight end.

Just like that, the Chiefs are without one of their all-time most popular players and one who seemed destined to play his entire career in Kansas City after the Chiefs failed to move him last year.

“I have emotions that go both ways,” Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said. “On the one hand, we’re excited about the draft choice and the opportunities we’ll have with that down the road. On the other hand, we’re saying goodbye to somebody who’s been a friend and been an incredible contributor to the Chiefs and to Kansas City.”

The Chiefs also made a major trade last year in the days leading up to the draft, sending defensive end Jared Allen to Minnesota for three picks.

This one was different. Allen agitated for a trade for months. Gonzalez asked to be dealt last fall when the Chiefs were headed for the worst season in franchise history, but the Chiefs insisted they hadn’t heard that from him since Pioli and Haley were hired.

“Tony and I never had conversations. Nor did Todd and Tony,” Pioli said. “Tony didn’t have any conversations with anyone in this organization about that. I really want to stay away from characterizing Tony’s thoughts or comments other than … we didn’t get the sense he wanted (a trade).”

Gonzalez was absent from last weekend’s minicamp, in which participation was voluntary. While Gonzalez in past years often skipped offseason conditioning workouts, and forfeited financial bonuses as a result, he rarely if ever missed an offseason practice, mandatory or voluntary.

Both Pioli and Hunt indicated they didn’t take his absence last week as a sign Gonzalez wanted out.

“The timing of the trade was really driven by the Falcons and their desire to have the trade done ahead of this year’s draft,” Hunt said.

The Chiefs chairman repeated what he said a month ago at the NFL meetings in California, that the Chiefs did not plan to trade Gonzalez.

“I said a month ago we were not seeking a trade,” Hunt said. “That was true. What happened was that the Falcons reached out to us and put some compensation on the table.”

The Chiefs may have been able to squeeze a better deal had they waited until closer to the draft. Cleveland recently received second- and fifth-round draft picks from Tampa Bay in a trade involving tight end Kellen Winslow Jr.

Winslow is several years younger than Gonzalez, 33. He’s also far less accomplished. Gonzalez is the all-time NFL leader in receptions, yardage and touchdowns for a tight end.

The Chiefs never won a playoff game in Gonzalez’s 12 seasons. They were a competitive team in his early seasons but recently have fallen on hard times. The Chiefs won six games in the last two seasons, and just two in 2008.

Still, even the Chiefs couldn’t bring themselves to say they are a more competitive team without Gonzalez. But Pioli said they would use the pick obtained from Atlanta as bait to acquire one or more picks in this year’s draft.

“We’ll have to look at what happens with that second-round pick,” Hunt said. “It’s a pick in the 2010 draft, and it may stay a pick in the 2010 draft. On the other hand, we may use it this weekend to move up in this draft. Until we get through this weekend, I’m not sure I can give you an answer on (how the trade could improve the Chiefs).”

LINK >> Chiefs trade Gonzalez to Falcons for 2010 draft pick - Kansas City Star

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