Tony Gonzalez, Brian Waters among Pro Football Hall of Fame candidates for 2019

The Kansas City Chiefs have two former players up for potential induction into next year’s class in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio.

It’s always exciting when one of a franchise’s all-time greats is up for potential induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. We’ve watched in recent years as both Will Shields and Willie Roaf were both immortalized with busts of their own in Canton, Ohio. Now in the coming year, we might see two more members of the Kansas City Chiefs honored alongside the best professional football players ever in tight end Tony Gonzalez and offensive lineman Brian Waters.

Gonzalez is largely considered a shoe-in candidate as a first-ballot entrant for the Hall of Fame, although clearly we’re a year away from knowing for sure. However he has no equal in NFL history as the greatest tight end of all time. Not only was he an ironman who played in 270 games over the course of 17 NFL seasons, but he remained very productive from the beginning to the end of his career.

Over those 17 seasons, Gonzalez went to 14 Pro Bowls and was a 6-time First Team All Pro. He has more catches than anyone else in NFL history except wide receiver Jerry Rice. He’s sixth all-time in terms of receiving yards. He’s seventh in receiving touchdowns and 15th in total touchdowns. Even his 270 games played puts him at No. 22 all-time.

Gonzalez wasn’t just the single greatest tight end who has ever played the game of football, but he will go down as one of the single greatest pass catchers in NFL history, regardless of position. It’s hard to imagine that anyone would keep him out of the Hall of Fame for a single season.

As for Waters, the case for a first-ballot Hall of Famer might not be as airtight, but the resume is also incredible. Waters was a part of the Chiefs incredible offensive line that included the aforementioned Hall of Famers of Roaf and Shields along with strong performers like John Alt and Casey Wiegmann. Waters himself made 6 Pro Bowls and was named First Team All-Pro on two occasions.

Waters was also an exemplary citizen off the field, a man who was celebrated for his off-the-field community efforts when he was rewarded with the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2009.