TONY GONZALEZ ADDED TO LIST OF HONOREES FOR THIS YEAR’S “FATHER OF THE YEAR” AWARDS
The National Father’s Day Council has announced that Tony Gonzalez, Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection and Fox NFL analyst, has been named a 2019 “Father of the Year” honoree. Gonzalez will receive his award alongside Tom Kingsbury, president, CEO and chairman of Burlington Stores, Inc, and Senator John McCain, who will receive his posthumously.
Recently selected to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Gonzalez was a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons for 17 years. Prior to his career with the NFL, Gonzalez attended the University of California, where he earned first-team All-Pac-10 and first-team All America honors as a member of the football team, and made it to the Sweet Sixteen of NCAA Basketball Tournament as a member of the basketball team. Known for his strength and durability, he is the NFL’s all-time leader in receiving yards by a tight end (15,127) as well as Pro Bowl appearances (14) and consecutive starts (120) by a tight end. Since retiring from the NFL in 2013, Gonzalez has earned recognition as an author, actor and entrepreneur. He appeared on The NFL Today on CBS from 2014 to 2016 before joining FOX NFL Kickoff as Co-Host in 2017. He was named “#1 NFL Good Guy” in 2004 by Sporting News. In 2017, Gonzalez was seen in xXx: The Return of Xander Cage with Vin Diesel.
As a father of four, Gonzalez’s philanthropic endeavors are geared toward improving the lives of children. He has developed multimedia programs that celebrate and advocate for children’s sports and has partnered with the Boys and Girls Clubs as well as with the Shadow Buddies Foundation, an organization that provides emotional support and knowledge to children regarding illness, disability and medical treatments. He won a Presidential Volunteer Award for his work on the Shadow Buddies “Books and Buddies” project, which seeks to bring together teenagers and seniors in shared understanding. He also serves as an ambassador for Scholars’ Hope Foundation, an organization in Huntington Beach, California, that works with underserved children. A documentary about Gonzalez and his brother, Play It Forward, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2015 and was aired on Showtime.
“A life of unrivaled talent and deep experience has made Tony Gonzalez a football legend both on and off the field, with a voice trusted by fans across the nation,” said Dan Orwig, president and CEO of the Father’s Day / Mother’s Day Council. “We are thrilled to honor Tony, whose steadfast commitment to his family, athletic feats and philanthropic work stand as a positive influence for all of those he has touched in his life. The Father’s Day Council congratulates Tony on this well-deserved award.”
The 78th Annual Father of the Year Awards will be presented at the New York Hilton Midtown Hotel on Thursday, June 13, 2019, at 12:00 p.m.
As part of the Council’s commitment to supporting meaningful charitable organizations that impact mothers, fathers and children, this year’s luncheon will benefit Save the Children’s U.S. Programs and Action Network. For tickets and sponsorship opportunities, please contact the Council office at 212-594-5977 or www.fathersdaycouncil.org.
