NFL TIGHT END TONY GONZALEZ TO RECEIVE HISPANIC HERITAGE AWARD ON SEPTEMBER 12 AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND ON PBS BROADCAST

 Culture   Thu, July 12, 2018 10:59 PM

WASHINGTON, DC – The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today that NFL Tight End Tony Gonzalez to receive a Hispanic Heritage Award during the 31st Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, on September 12, 2018.  The Awards will be broadcast nationally on PBS stations during Hispanic Heritage Month. Gonzalez is being recognized for his work on the field and in the community. 

 

The Hispanic Heritage Awards, which was created by the White House in 1987 to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month in America, are considered among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and are supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. Gonzalez will join Sister Norma Pimentel and the other Honorees who will be announced over the summer, followed by the performers, hosts and presenters (visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C92ZiK5MxAs).

 

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to recognize the career Tony Gonzalez as an NFL football player but also as a role model to young people across the country,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of HHF.  “Tony will join another remarkable class of Hispanic Heritage Awardees who represent the great value, vision and promise of our community to America and the world.”   

 

Former Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons All-Pro tight end Tony Gonzalez is a fixture on FOX Sports as a studio analyst and on FOX NFL Kickoff, Fox’s hour-long NFL pregame show preceding FOX NFL Sunday during the NFL season. He also is an author of two books, and an entrepreneur, developing multi-media programs that celebrate and advocate sports for children in an educational format. In 2015, “Play It Forward,” a documentary about Gonzalez and his brother, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was seen on Showtime. He can also include actor on his resume, co-starring on NCIS and in the feature film “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” alongside Vin Diesel.

 

Gonzalez’s career spanned 17 years in the NFL, 12 with Kansas City after being their first-round pick in 1997, and five with Atlanta before his retirement in 2013. He is the NFL’s all-time leader in touchdowns (111) and yards (15,127) by a tight end. He also is the NFL’s all-time leader in consecutive starts (120) and Pro-Bowl appearances (14) by a tight end, and ranks second overall among all players in catches with 1,325 on his record. Known for his strength and durability, Gonzalez missed only two games during his 17-year career.

 

Gonzalez attended University of California, Berkeley, where he played football and basketball and majored in Psychology. During his time at Cal, he was first-team All-America while starting for the basketball team and leading them to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

 

Gonzalez’s philanthropic endeavors include a partnership with the Boys and Girls Clubs; Shadow Buddies, an organization that provides emotional support through education regarding illness, disability or medical treatments, as well as being named an ambassador for Scholars’ Hope, working with underserved children in Huntington Beach, Calif.  He is very active in health, wellness and fitness space. Gonzalez was an investor and trainer in the fitness app FITSTAR, which was acquired by Fitbit in March 2015. The Sporting News named Gonzalez the #1 NFL Good Guy in 2004. Additionally, he won a Presidential Volunteer Award for his work on the “Books and Buddies” project, which sought to promote understanding between teenagers and seniors. Gonzalez and his wife, October, reside in Los Angeles, CA with their four children.

 

Past Honorees of the Hispanic Heritage Awards have included Sonia Sotomayor, Rita Moreno, Plácido Domingo, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Oscar Hijuelos, Martin Sheen, Ricky Martin, Rubén Blades, Fania All-Stars, Junot Diaz, José Feliciano, Carlos Vives, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Antonio Banderas, Juan Luis Guerra, Anthony Quinn, J Balvin, Zoe Saldana, Juan Marichal, Los Tigres Del Norte, Oscar de la Hoya, America Ferrera, Pedro Martinez, Luis Fonsi, Andy García, Gael Garcia Bernal, Latin Grammys, Diego Luna, and others.

 

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation

The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round, award-winning programs which inspire, prepare and connect Latino leaders in the classroom, community and workforce to meet America’s needs as well as promoting cultural pride.  HHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  For more information on the mission of HHF visit www.hispanicheritage.org.  

 

For more information on the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Awards or to request media credentialsplease contact John Reilly at  212.878.5076 /  jreilly@rogersandcowan.com  or Sylvia Bedrosian: sbedrosian@rogersandcowan.com

CONTACT:
John Reilly at 212.878.5076 / jreilly@rogersandcowan.com Sylvia Bedrosian: sbedrosian@rogersandcowan.com