NFL Playoffs: Who Are You Rooting For Now That The Chiefs Are Out?

The Kansas City Chiefs are out of the tournament and it will likely make watching this weekend’s games a little bit harder for the Arrowhead Faithful.

Still, sporting events are always more fun when you have someone to root for. I usually pick an AFC team I like once the Chiefs are eliminated from contention but this year I am switching things up

For the rest of the playoffs, I’m going to be an Atlanta Falcons fan.

I’m rooting for Atlanta because of Tony Gonzalez.

I know it hurt a lot of KC fans when Tony decided to skip town to pursue a Super Bowl but I don’t blame him. The Chiefs were in a rebuilding phase when Tony left and Gonzalez knows he is reaching the end of the line.

Tony Gonzalez is one of my favorite Chiefs of all time and I know that when he decides to hang them up that he will retire a Chief.

My affection for Tony aside, there are plenty of other reasons to root for Atlanta to win the Super Bowl. The Falcons and their GM Thomas Dimitroff have a lot in common with the Chiefs. Dimitroff and Chiefs GM Scott Pioli were both in New England together. They remain good friends and share basically the same philosophy for building a football team. Dimitroff was hired in 2008 and could very well win the Super Bowl just 3 years after starting his program.

Scott Pioli and the Chiefs will enter year three of their program next season. Obviously an Atlanta SB win will have no real impact on the Chiefs but it certainly would make me more optimistic about the organization’s direction.

I propose we all root for Tony Gonzalez this offseason. In fact, I will be getting my TG jersey out of the closet and dusting it off.

What do you think Addicts? Who will you be cheering for this weekend and beyond?