Tony Gonzalez said during the 2012 season that he was very close to retirement, but the tight end decided to return to the Atlanta Falcons because of their elite status.

"Matt Ryan, Arthur Blank, Mike Smith, Roddy White, all the guys really want me back," Gonzalez said.

"I went home thinking it was over, and I talked to my family and really sat down with them and discussed the pros and cons of returning, and really, I couldn’t think of too many cons. ... You know what? We've got a great football team, and I look forward to seeing what we can do this year."

Gonzalez is still searching for the elusive Super Bowl ring.