Thomas Dimitroff, general manager of the Atlanta Falcons, is hopeful that Tony Gonzalez will return to the team for the 2013 season.

Gonzalez said late in the season he was 95 percent sure he would retire. He even moved that figure up to 97 percent after the Falcons won a playoff game against Seattle. 

"Tony has done so much for us on and off the field, and I don't believe, not stating that he would be lying to anyone, but I don't believe the 95 percent," Dimitroff said on "Pro Football Talk" on NBC Sports Network. "I want to believe it's a lot closer to 50-50, to be honest with you, and we've had discussions.

"Obviously (Falcons coach) Mike Smith has had discussions with him. We're all in a good place. Ultimately it's up to Tony to decide if he wants to come back and potentially catch 100 balls again. I think it's one of those situations that Tony was so effective for us down the stretch, and I can't imagine that his appetite wasn't sort of whet from his contributions in the playoffs."

The Falcons don't have a deadline for Gonzalez to make a decision.

Arthur Blank prefers to keep the Falcons in the city of Atlanta, but is willing to consider a move to the suburbs.

Falcons president and CEO Rich McKay met with the Atlanta city council on Wednesday and reiterated the team will not renew its lease at the Georgia Dome when it expires in 2017.

The Falcons negotiated a deal for a $948 million stadium with a retractable roof that must be approved by the city, with the city contributing between $200 million and $300 million.

The city would finance through bonds funded from a hotel/motel tax increase.

A new facility would put Atlanta in position to host future Super Bowls, as well as continue as a host for Final Fours and the SEC football championship.

The Atlanta Falcons have been linked to officials from Los Angeles, but owner Arthur Blank said he believes the franchise's future will be Atlanta.

“We’re committed to Atlanta, the city, the region and the state," Blank said Friday while visiting the Super Bowl media center. “We’re making progress on our deal working with the [Georgia World] Congress Center, the mayor’s office, the governor’s office, the community and doing all the things we need to do to get the deal done with the city of Atlanta." 

The Falcons are attempting to build a new stadium in downtown Atlanta.

“I was never approached," Blank said. “My team was never approached. If someone in Atlanta, outside of the Atlanta Falcons was ever approached, I have no idea."