The Story And Significance Of Tony Gonzalez - Holds The NFL Record For Tight Ends With The Most Receptions And Receiving Yards

Anthony David Gonzalez is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League for 17 seasons. Gonzalez is the NFL leader in receptions and receiving yards by a tight end and ranks second in tight end receiving touchdowns. He is regarded as one of the greatest tight ends of all time.

Gonzalez played college football for the California Golden Bears, receiving consensus All-American honors in 1996. He was selected in the first round of the 1997 NFL draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, where he spent his first 12 seasons. In his last five seasons, Gonzalez was a member of the Atlanta Falcons. He earned 14 Pro Bowl selections and six first-team All-Pro selections during his career, both of which are records for a tight end. Gonzalez also appeared in 270 of 272 regular season games and lost only two fumbles on 1,327 touches. He was inducted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Gonzalez was ranked as one of the top tight ends in the 1997 NFL draft and was considered a top 15 selection. The Chiefs traded up from the 18th to the 13th selection with the Tennessee Oilers to draft Gonzalez.

Gonzalez began his career in the 1997 season. He finished his rookie season with 33 receptions, two touchdowns, and a blocked punt on special teams, helping the Chiefs to finish with the best record in the American Football Conference (AFC). He was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team for the 1997 season. In the 1998 season, Gonzalez saw dramatic improvements with 59 receptions for 621 yards, and he also caught two touchdown passes for the second (consecutive) year.

The 1999 season saw Gonzalez again improving when he caught 76 passes for 849 yards and a career-high 11 touchdown receptions, earning his first Pro Bowl selection. In addition, he was named as a First Team All-Pro. In week 14 of the 2000 season, he had 11 receptions for 147 yards and a touchdown in a loss to the New England Patriots. In the 2000 season, he had 93 receptions for 1,203 receiving yards and nine receiving touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and as a First Team All-Pro for the 2000 season. In the 2001 season, he had 73 receptions for 917 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns while earning his third career First Team All-Pro honor and Pro Bowl nomination. On November 4, against the San Diego Chargers, he threw his first professional pass, which went for 40 yards.

During the 2002 offseason, Gonzalez briefly resumed his basketball career, playing for the Miami Heat in the NBA Summer League. He appeared in two games, with his best outing being an 11 rebound performance in a 72–71 win against the Indiana Pacers. Despite never considering bringing Gonzalez to training camp due to his ongoing football career, then coach Pat Riley later stated that "If he ever would have pursued it, I think he would have been a 10-year pro".

In week 4 of the 2002 season, Gonzalez had seven receptions for 140 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in a win over the Miami Dolphins. In the 2002 season, he had 63 receptions for 773 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns to go along with yet another Pro Bowl nod. From 2003 to 2006, Gonzalez was the most productive tight end in the NFL. In the 2003 season, he had 71 receptions for 916 receiving yards and ten receiving touchdowns. For the fourth time in his career, he was named as a First Team All-Pro. He was named to his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl for the 2003 season. His best season statistically came in 2004, when he caught an NFL-record (for a tight end) 102 passes for 1,258 yards and seven touchdowns. In week 17, he had a career-high 14 receptions for 144 yards against the San Diego Chargers. He earned a spot in the Pro Bowl for his historic season. Gonzalez's single-season record of 102 receptions by a tight end stood for 8 years, until it was broken by Jason Witten during the 2012 season. In the 2005 season, he had 78 receptions for 905 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in another Pro Bowl season.

Starting late in 2006, Gonzalez began to close in on numerous team and league receiving records. He finished with 73 receptions for 900 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns and earned his eighth consecutive Pro Bowl nomination. In 2006, Gonzalez broke wide receiver Otis Taylor's Chiefs team receiving yards and touchdowns mark, and also passed running back Priest Holmes for the team yards from scrimmage record.

In 2007, Gonzalez continued his productivity in spite of the generally poor play of the Chiefs' offense. Though the Chiefs finished at or near the bottom in most major offensive categories, Gonzalez led the Chiefs and all NFL tight ends in receptions (99) and receiving yards (1,172) while being named to his ninth straight Pro Bowl.

On October 14, 2007, Gonzalez broke the career touchdown reception record for tight ends previously held by Shannon Sharpe, as well as passing Ozzie Newsome for second in career receiving yards for a tight end. On December 23, 2007, Gonzalez recorded his third season with 1,000 receiving yards, tying him with Kellen Winslow, Todd Christensen, and Shannon Sharpe for most ever by a tight end, and on December 30, 2007, Gonzalez passed Shannon Sharpe for most receptions all time by a tight end.

In week 4 of the 2008 season, Gonzalez became NFL all-time leader in receiving yards for a tight end with 10,064, surpassing Shannon Sharpe. He recorded 96 receptions for 1,058 yards and was also elected to his tenth career Pro Bowl. For the fifth time in his career, he earned First Team All-Pro honors. Running up to the NFL trade deadline, the Packers and the Eagles were in last minute talks with the Chiefs to trade a third-round draft pick for him. But Chiefs' GM Carl Peterson said he wanted a second-round draft pick instead and the deal fell through.

During the 2009 offseason, Gonzalez again approached Chiefs management about a possible trade. Unlike the previous Chiefs management, new Chiefs' GM Scott Pioli told Gonzalez he would see what he could do.

Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a second round pick in the 2010 NFL draft on April 23, 2009. In his first regular season game with Atlanta against the Miami Dolphins, Gonzalez caught a touchdown pass from Matt Ryan and became the 21st player, and the first tight end, in NFL history with 11,000 receiving yards. He finished the game leading the Falcons in receiving with five receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown, his 20-yard touchdown reception marking only the third time he scored in the opening game of the season. Although Gonzalez recorded 83 receptions for 867 yards and 6 touchdowns, his total statistics went down from the previous years in Kansas City, and Gonzalez was not invited to the Pro Bowl for the first time in 10 years. He was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team for the years 2000–2009.

In the 2010 regular season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gonzalez made his 1,000th career reception, making him the seventh player in NFL history to do so and the first tight end. Gonzalez had his best performance as a Falcon two weeks later against the defending Super Bowl champions New Orleans Saints, as caught eight catches for 110 yards and a touchdown to help lead Atlanta to an overtime victory. His play in 2010, helped him return to the Pro Bowl that year. The Falcons also finished 13–3 that season to earn the first-seed in the playoffs. In Gonzalez's first playoff game in five years, the Falcons were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers.

During the NFL lockout in 2011, Gonzalez contemplated retiring rather than sitting out an entire season and waiting to play in 2012. After the lockout was eventually lifted by the league, Gonzalez was adamant he had at least three seasons left in him and was excited at the prospects of returning to the Falcons who were widely considered to be Super Bowl contenders. On the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011, he was ranked 46th by his fellow players.

In the 2011 season, Gonzalez finished with 80 receptions for 875 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns. He was named to the Pro Bowl and was ranked 53rd among his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

With Gonzalez's contract set to expire following the conclusion of the 2011 season, he signed a 1-year $7 million contract extension with the Falcons on January 1, 2012, indicating his intent to return for at least one season. In the 2012 season opener, Gonzalez played in Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs for the first time in his career, which ended with a Falcons' victory. Gonzalez caught his 100th career touchdown on November 11, 2012, in a week 10 game against the New Orleans Saints, becoming the only tight end in NFL history to catch 100 touchdown passes. Overall, he finished the 2012 season with 93 receptions for 930 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns to earn another First Team All-Pro honor and Pro Bowl nomination. On January 13, 2013, Gonzalez won the only playoff game of his career when the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 30–28. His fellow players ranked him 47th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

Throughout the 2012 season, he insisted on retiring. However, on March 12, 2013, on his Twitter page, he said, "I'm happy to say that after speaking with my family, I'm coming back." Then, later that day, he posted,"The lure of being on such a great team and organization, along with unbelievable fan support was too good to pass up."

On March 15, 2013, Gonzalez agreed to re-sign with the Falcons to a two-year, $14 million contract, despite his claim that he would be retiring after the 2013 season. With the retirement of Randy Moss, 37-year-old Gonzalez spent his last season as the NFL's active leader in receiving yards. On September 29, against the New England Patriots, he had 12 receptions for a career-high 149 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Gonzalez played his final NFL game against the Carolina Panthers on December 29. He finished his final season with 83 receptions for 859 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns. He would later be named a second alternate for the Pro Bowl that season, and was added to the roster when San Francisco 49ers tight end Vernon Davis declined the invitation. It was his 14th and final Pro Bowl appearance, which at the time tied him with Bruce Matthews and Merlin Olsen for the most selections for the game.

Gonzalez is frequently considered the greatest tight end of all time. During his career, he broke numerous NFL records for tight ends. Only two of his major records have been broken, most career touchdowns and most 1,000 yard seasons by a tight end. Additionally, he also owns several Chiefs team records and at the time of his retirement, he finished in the top 10 in many receiving categories for any position. He finished 5th in yards, 2nd in receptions, and 6th in touchdowns. He ended his career with an active consecutive games with a reception streak of 265 which ran from a game played on November 26, 2000, to his final game on December 29, 2013. He only failed to record a reception in 5 of his 270 games he played, the majority of which occurred his rookie season. In addition to consistently recording catches, Gonzalez also was extremely durable during his career playing 270 of a possible 272 games in his career. On January 26, 2018, the Chiefs announced they would induct Gonzalez into the Chiefs Hall of Fame. He was inducted during halftime of a game during the 2018 season. In his first year of eligibility in 2019, Gonzalez was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade team as well as the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

Following his retirement, Gonzalez became an analyst on CBS's NFL pregame show NFL Today. He worked for CBS until the end of the 2016 season.

On May 10, 2017, Gonzalez was added to Fox's pregame show. Gonzalez left Fox on July 16, 2021, to focus on more TV and film projects.

On April 28, 2022, it was announced during the 2022 NFL draft that Gonzalez will return to broadcasting after a one-year hiatus, and join Amazon as a studio analyst for Thursday Night Football for the 2022 season.

Gonzalez has done some acting, primarily cameo roles as himself. In 2006, he had a minor role in the TV film A.I. Assault, his first non-cameo acting job. He has also appeared in three episodes of NCIS as Special Agent Tony Francis. In the 2017 film XXX: Return of Xander Cage, he played Paul Donovan, his first feature film role as an actor.

In March 2015, Gonzalez hosted You Can't Lick Your Elbow on the National Geographic Channel, which ran for six episodes.

In 2015, Gonzalez and his older brother Chris, were profiled in the documentary, Play It Forward. The film premiered at the Opening Gala during the Tribeca Film Festival.

Gonzalez competed against linebacker Ray Lewis in an episode of Spike's Lip Sync Battle, which aired on February 2, 2017. He performed Digital Underground's "The Humpty Dance" and Devo's "Whip It", but did not win.

In early 2007, Gonzalez suffered a bout of facial paralysis known as Bell's palsy. He subsequently experimented with a vegan diet after reading The China Study, but he and his nutritionist, Mitzi Dulan, ultimately decided that eating meat occasionally would be best for his performance. Gonzalez only eats organic fruits and vegetables, free-range chicken, grass-fed beef (no more than 18 ounces a month), and fish.

Gonzalez had a commitment ceremony in July 2007 with his girlfriend, October, though the couple considers themselves married despite not being legally married. They have three children together, two daughters and a son. He has another son who was born in 2001 from a relationship with entertainment reporter Lauren Sánchez. He lives in Huntington Beach, California.

On July 3, 2008, while dining with his family at a restaurant in Huntington Beach, California, Gonzalez noticed a fellow diner choking on a piece of meat at a nearby table, unable to breathe. Gonzalez successfully administered the Heimlich maneuver, saving the diner's life.

Gonzalez campaigned for then-Senator Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, saying "this is the first time in my life that I've ever been political about anything."

He was the grand marshal of the 2014 Huntington Beach Fourth of July Parade.

On a season 9 episode of PBS's Finding Your Roots, Gonzalez learned that his great-great-great-grandfather, George, was sold away from his wife Polly and children to a nearby slave owner. In 1866, a year after the end of the Civil War, George and Polly were found listed on a cohabitation record, meaning they had gotten married, as soon as it became legal for them to do so. Gonzalez also learned he is a very distant relative of William Shakespeare and comedian Whoopi Goldberg.

Along with playing in the NFL, Gonzalez has been involved in a number of business ventures. While playing for the Chiefs, he co-founded Extreme Clean 88, a commercial cleaning service in Kansas City. While in Kansas City, Gonzalez also contributed to Shadow Buddies, a charity that works with hospitalized children. Gonzalez, is also an Ambassador for the non-profit, Scholars' Hope Foundation in Huntington Beach. It is an after-school academic enrichment program that helps students be the best version of themselves and to encourage them into higher education.

In 2009, Gonzalez co-authored the book The All-Pro Diet. The book, co-written with Mitzi Dulan, the former nutritionist for the Chiefs, details his diet and workout routine and provides practical suggestions for others to follow the same path.

Later in 2009, Gonzalez co-founded All-Pro Science, a sports nutrition company that manufactured a complete line of protein shakes, vitamins and other supplements. The products in the APS line follow a similar philosophy to the one set forth in Gonzalez's book, focusing on a balance of foods from all-natural sources. However, the company's website is inactive and its products are unavailable.

From 2013 to 2017, Gonzalez worked with FitStar, a company that makes mobile fitness apps, helping people get in shape with customized workouts delivered via the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. He appears in the FitStar Personal Trainer, leading users through personalized Sessions.

In December 2022, Gonzalez joined the Advisory Council of GoodLeap, a sustainable home improvement fintech company, to support its mission of financing renewable energy solutions and promoting environmental sustainability.

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The Story And Significance Of Gil Brandt - Vice President Of Player Personnel For The Dallas Cowboys Over 29 Seasons

Gilbert Harvey Brandt was an American professional football executive who was the vice president of player personnel in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.

Brandt worked as a photographer who specialized in newborn babies and was employed as a part-time scout for the Los Angeles Rams based on a recommendation by Elroy Hirsch. In 1958, he was hired as a full-time scout by the San Francisco 49ers.

Brandt served as the Dallas Cowboys' chief talent scout from the club's inception in 1960. He had served as a part-time scout for the Los Angeles Rams under general manager Tex Schramm in the 1950s. When Schramm took command of the newly formed Dallas franchise in 1960, Brandt was one of the first people he hired. Schramm, Brandt and Coach Tom Landry formed the triumvirate which guided the Cowboys for their first 29 years.

Brandt helped pioneer many of the scouting techniques used by NFL clubs today, such as:

Creating a new scouting and evaluation system for prospects, which would later spread throughout the NFL. In the NFL Films' documentary series Finding Giants, Ernie Accorsi mentioned how then-general manager George Young built the New York Giants scouting process based on the Cowboys system.

Using computers for scouting and talent evaluations. To achieve this level of automatization, the Cowboys had to systematically define which were the traits, measurable qualities and skills that could be expressed into numbers and formulas in order for a computer to understand them. Different traits were prioritized for different positions.

Finding potential prospects in other sports such as: Bob Hayes, Cornell Green, Peter Gent, Toni Fritsch, Percy Howard, Ken Johnson, Ron Howard, Wade Manning, Manny Hendrix, Mac Percival, and Colin Ridgway. The Cowboys also set up hospitality suites for coaches at the NCAA basketball tournaments.

Brandt was one of the first talent scouts to look outside of the United States and Canada for potential players. Placekicker Fritsch, was discovered during a European scouting tour.

Made unconventional draft choices in lower rounds based on potential, even though at the time it wasn't known if the players would ever be a part of the National Football League. For example: Roger Staubach, Herschel Walker, and Chad Hennings.

The use of psychology tests to identify the mental and personality make-up of prospects.

Finding players in the undrafted free agent and small college talent pool, such as Drew Pearson, Cliff Harris, and Everson Walls.

Helped to create the NFL Scouting Combine as a centralization of the scouting evaluation process.

Contributed to introduce Pro Days at schools in 1977.

He also made a reputation of acquiring high draft choices by making impactful trades, which were used to select players like Randy White, Ed "Too Tall" Jones, and Tony Dorsett.

Brandt was fired from the Cowboys on May 2, 1989 by new owner Jerry Jones, ostensibly in a cost-cutting move. Brandt's ouster completed a purge that began with Jones' purchase of the franchise just over nine weeks prior on February 25 and also resulted in Landry's firing and Schramm's resignation.

Following the death of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Dwayne Haskins on the morning of April 9, 2022, during an interview on a SiriusXM NFL radio show later that same day, a host asked Brandt for his thoughts. Brandt replied that Haskins was "living to be dead, so to speak," and claimed that draft evaluators had criticized Haskins for his work ethic during his transition from college football to the NFL, stating, "It was always something. It was one of those, 'I'm not offsides, but they keep calling me for offsides.' It's a tragic thing. Anytime somebody dies it's tragic, especially when you're 24 years old and you've got your whole life ahead of you. Maybe if he'd have stayed in school an [extra] year, he wouldn't do silly things."

Brandt's comments generated significant controversy, including from several other current and former NFL players like Haskins's former teammate Cameron Heyward, who called Brandt's comments "disgraceful," and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant, who called Brandt's comments "unacceptable." Several called for Brandt to lose his job in NFL radio over the comments. Brandt later apologized for the comments in a statement on Twitter, saying he "reacted carelessly and insensitively" and apologizing for his "poor choice of words."

After a few years out of football, Brandt returned as a print analyst and draft expert. He contributed to NFL.com as a senior analyst and was a major contributor in selecting the Playboy All-American football team. Brandt had also been responsible for inviting collegiate players to the NFL draft every year. He was a regular on SiriusXM NFL Radio as a commentator on "Late Hits", "The Endzone", and the "SiriusXM NFL Tailgate Show".

Brandt was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame on April 9, 2015.

Brandt was announced as the 22nd member of the Cowboys' Ring of Honor on November 2, 2018.

On February 2, 2019, it was announced at the annual NFL Honors Awards that Brandt was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and his bust was sculpted by Scott Myers.

Gil and Dot Brandt were married on June 28, 1979. They had a son, Brig Mankin Brandt, born August 19, 1980. The marriage lasted nine years.

Brandt and his wife Sara were married for 34 years. He died in Dallas on August 31, 2023, at the age of 91.

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The Story And Significance Of Pat Bowlen - Denver Broncos Owner For 31 Seasons

Patrick Dennis Bowlen was an American lawyer, executive and the majority owner of the Denver Broncos of the National Football League, winning three Super Bowls. He was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the class of 2019. Bowlen owned other professional sports franchises in the Colorado region. Bowlen served as the Broncos CEO from 1984 until July 2014, when he stepped down as Broncos' CEO due to the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Bowlen bought a majority interest in the Denver Broncos of the National Football League in March 1984 from Vancouver industrialist Edgar Kaiser Jr. The purchase price was said to be $70 million, making the Broncos the highest-priced franchise in the league at the time.

From 1999 to 2008, Bowlen and the Broncos were involved in several legal battles against former owner Edgar Kaiser Jr. In 1998, Bowlen agreed to sell retired football legend John Elway a share in the team. When Bowlen let the existence of the offer slip out to Kaiser while both were at the 1999 Bohemian Grove, Kaiser sued, claiming a breach of contract. Kaiser asserted that he had the right of first refusal if any deal was made involving franchise ownership. In 2004, a jury ruled in favor of Kaiser and a federal judge decreed that Kaiser was entitled to purchase back 10% of the Broncos using the identical purchase terms offered to Elway. Bowlen appealed the original verdict that ruled in favor of Kaiser and won in 2008, as the appellate court ruled that the structure of the Bowlen-Elway deal did not violate the original right of first refusal agreement.

On December 30, 2008, Broncos head coach and vice president of football operations Mike Shanahan was fired by Bowlen after a 14-year tenure as the head coach. Bowlen stated he wanted his team to go in a different direction. Bowlen searched for a new head coach over a two-week period and eventually chose Josh McDaniels, who at the time was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots. Subsequently, after a losing streak in the 2010 season, McDaniels was fired as head coach of the Broncos. On February 12, 2009, Bowlen appointed Brian Xanders as the team's sole general manager and fired Jim and Jeff Goodman.

Within two weeks of the end of the 2010–11 regular season, Bowlen and the Broncos had hired former Carolina Panthers' coach John Fox to be their new head coach. Although Bowlen had discussions with Fox before the hiring, new front-office executive John Elway was mostly responsible for the hiring. By late 2009, rumors had begun to emerge that Bowlen had stepped out of the spotlight because of short-term memory loss. He told The Denver Post columnist Woody Paige that his memory wasn't what it used to be and that he couldn't recall details of the Broncos back-to-back Super Bowl titles in the late 1990s. Starting in 2010, Bowlen no longer played a major role in the Broncos' decision making, and Executive VP John Elway and President Joe Ellis assumed control. On July 23, 2014, due to complications with Alzheimer's disease, he officially relinquished control of the team to Joe Ellis.

On November 1, 2015, Bowlen was inducted into the Broncos' Ring of Fame, earning him a bronze plaque that stands on the south side of Empower Field at Mile High. Later that season, the Broncos would win Super Bowl 50, their third Super Bowl championship. When Elway, now the general manager for the team, received the Lombardi Trophy, he held it in the air and honored the Alzheimer-stricken Bowlen by exclaiming "this one's for Pat!" Bowlen had saluted Elway in the same fashion by saying "this one's for John!" after the Broncos won their first championship in Super Bowl XXXII eighteen years earlier.

After Bowlen acquired the team in 1984, the Broncos briefly held the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the National Football League (334 wins, 212 losses, and 1 tie, for a .612 winning percentage), passing the San Francisco 49ers after the 2015 season. At the time of Bowlen's death, the New England Patriots had surpassed that figure.

Besides being owner and CEO of the Broncos, Bowlen was also part-owner of the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush. He shared ownership with Denver-based sports mogul Stan Kroenke and legendary Broncos quarterback John Elway. The Crush entered the AFL as an expansion franchise in 2003. After going through a 2–14 season in 2003, the team became a perennial playoff contender and one of the league's top franchises. The Crush won the Arena Football League Championship in 2005.

In 2006, Major League Lacrosse decided to expand adding the Denver Outlaws to its league of teams. The Denver Outlaws have been the most winning franchise that Bowlen has ever owned, boasting a regular-season win percentage of 69.0% since their creation. The Outlaws have been to the playoffs every year of their existence except one (2015) and advanced to the championship game eight times (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, and 2018), winning the championship in 2014, 2016, and 2018.

Bowlen was a member of the University of Denver Board of Trustees and contributed to the funding of the Pat Bowlen Athletic Training Center located on the school's campus. He also contributed significantly to the local Denver Boys & Girls Club chapters.

On June 13, 2019, Bowlen died of a pulmonary embolism. Under terms set prior to Bowlen's death, Joe Ellis led a three-person trust representing his estate. Bowlen's intent was for his seven children to inherit the franchise, though he did not specify which of them would have first right.

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The Story And Significance Of Champ Bailey - Most Pro Bowls For A Defensive Back With Twelve Selections

Roland "Champ" Bailey Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League. He played college football for the Georgia Bulldogs, where he earned consensus All-American honors, and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 1999 NFL draft.

In 2004, Bailey was traded to the Denver Broncos, where he played for ten seasons until he was released in early 2014, following the Broncos' Super Bowl XLVIII loss. Bailey signed with the New Orleans Saints shortly afterward but was released before the start of the regular season. In October 2014, Bailey announced his retirement from the NFL after 15 seasons. He was selected to 12 Pro Bowls in his career, the most ever for a cornerback. He holds the current NFL record for most passes defended, with 203. In 2019, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. Bailey is widely considered to be one of the greatest cornerbacks in NFL history.

The Washington Redskins selected Bailey in the first round (seventh overall) of the 1999 NFL draft. The Redskins traded their first- (12th overall), third- (71st overall), fourth- (106th overall), and fifth-round picks in the 1999 NFL Draft and their third-round pick (87th overall) in the 2000 NFL draft to the Chicago Bears in exchange for their first-round pick (seventh overall) to use to secure their draft pick to immediately select Bailey. He was the first ever drafted player to come from his hometown of Folkston, Georgia.

On July 24, 1999, the Redskins signed Bailey to a five–year, $9.64 million rookie contract that included a signing bonus of $5.25 million. The contract had a maximum value of $12 million with incentives and bonuses included.

He entered training camp slated as the No. 2 starting cornerback under defensive coordinator Mike Nolan following the departure of Cris Dishman. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Darrell Green the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 12, 1999, Bailey made his professional regular season debut and earned his first career start in the Washington Redskins' home-opener against the Dallas Cowboys and made six solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his first career interception on a pass Troy Aikman threw to wide receiver Rocket Ismail as they lost in overtime 41–35. In Week 4, he set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass break-up as the Redskins defeated the Carolina Panthers 36–38. On October 17, 1999, Bailey recorded six combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, set a career-high with three interceptions off passes thrown by Jake Plummer, and returned one 59–yards to score his first career touchdown during a 24–10 victory at the Arizona Cardinals. In Week 14, he recorded six solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–28. He started all 16 games during his rookie season and finished with 80 combined tackles (73 solo), 15 pass deflections, five interceptions, one sack, and had one touchdown.

The Washington Redskins finished the 1999 NFL season with a 10–6 record to place first in the NFC East. On January 8, 2000, Bailey started in his first career playoff appearance and recorded three solo tackles, made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass attempt by Gus Frerotte as the Redskins defeated the Detroit Lions 13–27 in the NFC Wild-Card Game.

On June 7, 2000, the Washington Redskins signed Deion Sanders and immediately named him the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. The Redskins hired Ray Rhodes to be their new defensive coordinator after they chose not to re-sign Mike Nolan. Head coach Norv Turner named Bailey and Deion Sanders the starting cornerbacks to begin the season alongside Darrell Green.

On September 3, 2000, Bailey started in the Redskins' home-opener against the Carolina Panthers and set a season-high with eight solo tackles and had one pass deflection as they won 17–20. The following week, he had one solo tackle, two pass deflections, and set a season-high with two interceptions on passes thrown by Charlie Batch during a 10–15 loss at the Detroit Lions in Week 2. On November 20, 2000, he recorded one solo tackle, had one pass break-up, and helped secure a 33–20 win at the St. Louis Rams by intercepting a pass by Trent Green to wide receiver Isaac Bruce with 5:49 remaining in the fourth quarter. On December 4, 2000, the Redskins fired head coach Norv Turner as they had a 7–6 record and appointed assistant head coach Terry Robiskie to interim head coach. On December 24, 2000, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Jake Plummer threw to wide receiver David Boston as the Redskins defeated the Arizona Cardinals 3–20. He started in all 16 games for the second consecutive season and made 61 combined tackles (56 solo), 14 pass deflections, and five interceptions. He was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl, marking his first Pro Bowl selection of his career.

On January 4, 2001, the Washington Redskins hired former Kansas City Chiefs' head coach Marty Schottenheimer as their vice president of football operations and head coach. The Redskins selected cornerback Fred Smoot in the second round (45th overall) of the 2001 NFL draft. On July 28, 2001, Deion Sanders announced his retirement two days before reporting to training camp. Defensive coordinator Kurt Schottenheimer retained Bailey as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season and paired him with rookie Fred Smoot.

On September 9, 2001, Bailey started in the Redskins' season-opener at the San Diego Chargers on Sunday Night Football and made four solo tackles, a pass deflection, one fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass by Doug Flutie to wide receiver Tim Dwight during a 3–30 loss. In Week 15, he set a season-high with six solo tackles and had one pass break-up during a 15–20 loss to the Chicago Bears. The following week, he had four solo tackles, tied his season-high of three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Aaron Brooks threw to wide receiver Willie Jackson during a 40–10 win at the New Orleans Saints in Week 16. He started all 16 games throughout the 2001 NFL season and finished with 51 combined tackles (49 solo), 18 pass deflections, three interceptions, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. He was selected to the 2002 Pro Bowl, marking his second of 12 Pro Bowl selections throughout his career.

On January 13, 2002, the Redskins' owner, Daniel Snyder, fired head coach Marty Schottenheimer after one season with an 8–8 record. The following day, the Washington Redskins hired Florida Gators' head coach Steve Spurrier as the new head coach. This would be Bailey's third head coach as well as his fourth defensive coordinator in as many seasons. On February 11, 2002, the Redskins unexpectedly hired Baltimore Ravens' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis to be their new assistant head coach/defensive coordinator. Lewis reportedly agreed to return to the Ravens after leading a historic defense to Super Bowl XXXV in 2000.

On September 8, 2002, Bailey started in the season-opener at the Arizona Cardinals and made five combined tackles (four solo), two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Jake Plummer to wide receiver Frank Sanders during a 31–23 victory. In Week 5, he made six combined tackles (five solo), two pass deflections, and helped secure a 31–14 victory at the Tennessee Titans by intercepting a pass by Steve McNair to wide receiver Drew Bennett midway through the fourth quarter. On November 17, 2002, Bailey set a season-high with seven solo tackles and set a career-high with six pass deflections during a 17–19 loss at the New York Giants. He started all 16 games for the third consecutive season and made 68 combined tackles (62 solo) and three interceptions. He set a career-high with 24 pass deflections.

On January 14, 2003, Washington Redskins' defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis became the new head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals. George Edwards would be promoted, becoming Bailey's fifth defensive coordinator in-a-row. Head coach Steve Spurrier retained Bailey and Fred Smoot as the starting cornerbacks to begin the season following the retirement of Darrell Green. In Week 4, he made seven combined tackles (six solo), had one pass break-up, and intercepted a pass Tom Brady threw to wide receiver David Givens as the Redskins defeated the New England Patriots 17–20. In Week 11, he set a season-high with nine combined tackles (seven solo) and made one pass deflection during a 20–17 loss at the Carolina Panthers. He started all 16 games and made 72 combined tackles (68 solo), nine pass deflections, had two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, and had one forced fumble. He was named to the 2004 Pro Bowl, marking his fourth consecutive selection.

At the conclusion of the 2003 NFL season, Bailey was on the cusp of entering free agency for the first time if the Redskins did not use their franchise tag on him. With this possibility, Bailey threatened to boycott training camp if they were to exercise their franchise tag on him. On February 16, 2004, the Washington Redskins officially exercised their franchise tag on Bailey, ceasing any plans to partake in free agency.

Unexpectedly, Redskins' owner Dan Snyder agreed to allow Bailey and his agent seek a trade. Multiple teams immediately expressed interest in acquiring Bailey, reportedly four to six teams. On February 25, 2004, it was reported that the Denver Broncos had probably edged out the New York Jets with a more appealing trade and would likely be the team to acquire Bailey.

On March 4, 2004, the Washington Redskins traded Champ Bailey and a second-round pick (41st overall) in the 2004 NFL draft to the Denver Broncos in exchange for running back Clinton Portis. Days prior, the Broncos had reached an agreement on a contract extension with Bailey. Immediately following the trade, the Denver Broncos officially signed Bailey to a seven–year, $63 million contract extension that included $23 million guaranteed and an initial signing bonus of $18 million, becoming the largest contract for a cornerback in league history.

He entered training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback following the departure of Deltha O'Neal. He joined a secondary that included Lenny Walls, Kenoy Kennedy and John Lynch under defensive coordinator Larry Coyer. No. 2 starting cornerback Larry Walls was expected to return as the starter, but an ankle injury sidelined him for the entirety of training camp.

Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Kelly Herndon the starting cornerbacks to begin the season. On September 12, 2004, Bailey made his debut in the Denver Broncos' home-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs and made six combined tackles (two solo), a pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green during a 24–34 win on ESPN Sunday Night Football. On November 21, 2004, Bailey set a career-high with 13 combined tackles (11 solo), made two pass deflections, and intercepted a pass by Aaron Brooks to wide receiver Joe Horn during a 34–13 victory at the New Orleans Saints. He started all 16 games for the sixth consecutive season and recorded 81 combined tackles (68 solo), made 12 pass deflections, and three interceptions.

The Denver Broncos finished the 2004 NFL season with a 10–6 record for second place in the AFC West. On January 9, 2005, Bailey started in the AFC Wild-Card Game at the Indianapolis Colts and recorded eight solo tackles and made one pass deflection as they lost 24–49.

The Denver Broncos used their three highest draft picks in 2005 to draft cornerbacks. They selected Darrent Williams in the second-round (56th overall) and both Karl Paymah (76th overall) and Dominique Foxworth (97th overall) in the third-round of the 2005 NFL draft. The three new rookies and veteran Lenny Walls competed amongst themselves to determine a replacement. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and rookie Darrent Williams the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 18, 2005, Bailey recorded three solo tackles, made one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Drew Brees to wide receiver Keenan McCardell and returned it for a 25–yard touchdown as the Broncos defeated the San Diego Chargers 17–20. In Week 3, Bailey made three combined tackles (two solo) and had two pass break-ups before he exited in the second quarter of a 10–30 win against the Kansas City Chiefs after his leg buckled from under him when he tried to get up following a tackle on fullback Tony Richardson. He received an MRI and was confirmed to not have suffered any tears, but had sustained an injury to his hamstring that would sideline him for the next two games (Weeks 4–5). This would become the first games he would miss in his career and end a streak of 99 consecutive starts, one shy of 100. On October 23, 2005, Bailey recorded four combined tackles (three solo), set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Eli Manning threw to wide receiver Plaxico Burress during a 23–24 loss at the New York Giants. On November 13, 2005, Bailey set a season-high with 10 combined tackles (eight solo), had two pass deflections, and one interception on a pass from Kerry Collins to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 31–17 victory at the Oakland Raiders. On November 24, 2005, Bailey recorded six solo tackles, made three pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Drew Bledsoe threw to tight end Dan Campbell and returned it 65–yards for a touchdown during a 24–21 overtime victory at the Dallas Cowboys. The following week, he had one solo tackle, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Trent Green thrown to Tony Gonzalez during a 31–27 victory at the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13. On December 11, 2005, Bailey made eight combined tackles (seven solo), two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass by Kyle Boller to tight end Todd Heap as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 12–10. He finished the season with 66 combined tackles (60 solo) and 23 pass deflections in 13 games and 13 starts. He set a new career-high with eight interceptions that he would immediately break the next season and also set a new career-high with two pick-sixes in a single season that would stand for the rest of his career.

The Denver Broncos finished the 2005 NFL season first in the AFC West with a 13–3 record, earning a first-round bye. On January 14, 2006, Bailey started in the Divisional Round against the New England Patriots and recorded two solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass by Tom Brady to wide receiver Troy Brown in the endzone while the Broncos were leading 10–6 at the time. He returned the interception 100–yards down the left sidelined and as he approached the opposite endzone tight end Benjamin Watson delivered an unexpected hit that instantly knocked the ball from Bailey's possession and sent it flying out-of-play at the one–yard line. His return broke the record for the longest non-scoring play in NFL history at the time and had been routinely added to highlight reels on the NFL Network, including being ranked 85th in the NFL 100 Greatest Plays. The blow delivered by Ben Watson sent the ball flying out of Bailey's hands so rapidly that it was difficult to determine if the ball exited the field-of-play at the one–yard line or if it had crossed through the endzone to result in a touchback. The result of the call would most likely have affected the outcome of game. If it was determined that the ball had exited through the endzone, the Patriots would've received possession at their 20–yard line down 10–3. The referee determined the ball exited the field-of-play at the sideline, which resulted in the Broncos receiving possession at the one–yard line, which led to a one–yard rushing touchdown by running back Mike Anderson to increase their lead by 14 points to 17–3. The Broncos capitalized on this outcome to defeat the Patriots 27–13 to advance to the AFC Championship Game.

He returned to training camp slated as the de facto No. 1 starting cornerback. Head coach Mike Shanahan named Bailey and Darrent Williams the starting cornerback duo to begin the season. On September 10, 2006, Bailey started in the Denver Broncos' season-opener at the St. Louis Rams and set a season-high with nine solo tackles as they lost 10–18. In Week 5, he recorded five combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and had his first interception of the season on a pass Steve McNair threw to wide receiver Clarence Moore as the Broncos defeated the Baltimore Ravens 13–3. On October 22, 2006, he had two solo tackles, two pass deflections, and had his third consecutive game with an interception after picking off a pass Charlie Frye threw to wide receiver Braylon Edwards during a 17–7 victory at the Cleveland Browns. On November 5, 2006, Bailey recorded seven solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and had two interceptions thrown by Ben Roethlisberger during a 31–20 win at the Pittsburgh Steelers. On December 17, 2006, Bailey made four combined tackles (three solo), two pass deflections, and tied his season-high of two interceptions after picking off two passes Matt Leinart threw to wide receiver Anquan Boldin during a 37–20 win at the Arizona Cardinals. The following week, he recorded six solo tackles, had one pass break-up, a fumble recovery, and intercepted a pass Carson Palmer threw to wide receiver Chad Johnson during a 24–23 victory against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 16. In Week 17, Bailey made five solo tackles, a pass break-up, and intercepted a pass by Alex Smith to running back Frank Gore and returned it 70–yards for a touchdown during a 26–23 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers. His pick-six would mark the last touchdown of his career and also set a new career-high with his 10th interception of the season, which also tied New England Patriots' cornerback Asante Samuel for the most interceptions in the 2006 NFL season.

Bailey, San Diego Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor were unanimous choices for the NFL All-Pro team. Following the season's conclusion, Bailey finished second in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year.

On January 1, 2007, No. 2 starting cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and murdered in a drive-by shooting while he was sitting inside a Hummer limousine. It was later discovered the gang members responsible intended to target wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

On January 8, 2007, the Denver Broncos released defensive coordinator Larry Coyer following a so-called "mid-season meltdown" where the Broncos began with a 7–2 record and finished the season with a 9–7 record in 2006. The Broncos hired Jim Bates to be the assistant head coach, but was responsible for running the defense with newly promoted defensive backs coach Bob Slowik listed as the defensive coordinator. On March 1, 2007, the Broncos acquired ×2 Pro Bowl cornerback Dre Bly in a trade with the Detroit Lions as a response to losing Darrent Williams.

In Week 2, Bailey made four solo tackles, one pass deflection, and intercepted a pass Josh McCown threw to wide receiver Jerry Porter during a 23–20 overtime victory at the Oakland Raiders. In Week 4, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles during a 20–38 loss at the Indianapolis Colts. He was inactive for a 31–28 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 7 due to a thigh injury he sustained in their previous game against the San Diego Chargers in Week 5. He finished the 2007 NFL season with 84 combined tackles (71 solo), 14 pass deflections, and three interceptions in 15 games and 15 starts.

On January 8, 2008, the Denver Broncos fired assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Bates after a 7–9 record in 2007. Bobby Slowik was given full responsibility over the defense as defensive coordinator. He returned as the No. 1 starting cornerback to begin the season alongside Dre Bly. On September 14, 2008, Bailey made seven solo tackles, one pass deflection, and had his lone interception of the season on a pass by Philip Rivers to wide receiver Chris Chambers during a 38–39 victory against the San Diego Chargers. In Week 7, Bailey recorded two solo tackles and had one pass deflection before he exited the field in the second quarter of a 7–41 loss at the New England Patriots due to a groin injury. He remained inactive for the next seven games (Weeks 9–15) due to a torn groin muscle. On December 21, 2008, he set a season-high with nine solo tackles and had a strip/sack for an eight–yard loss on Trent Edwards during a 30–23 loss against the Buffalo Bills. He finished with 44 combined tackles (39 solo), three pass deflections, one sack, and one interception in nine games and nine starts. On December 30, 2008, the Broncos fired head coach Mike Shanahan after they finished with an 8–8 record.

On January 11, 2009, the Denver Broncos hired Josh McDaniels as their new head coach. Mike Nolan was hired to be defensive coordinator, reuniting him with Bailey as his defensive coordinator from his rookie year with the Washington Redskins.

The Broncos selected cornerback Alphonso Smith in the second round (37th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft, trading their first-round pick (14th overall) in 2010 NFL draft to the Seattle Seahawks in order to acquire the draft pick to select him. Alphonso Smith and André Goodman competed for the role as the No. 2 starting cornerback to replace Dre Bly. Head coach Josh McDaniels named Bailey and André Goodman the starting cornerbacks to begin the season.

On September 15, 2009, Bailey was chosen for the Broncos 50th Anniversary team by the Denver community. On October 4, 2009, Bailey recorded eight solo tackles, set a season-high with four pass deflections, and intercepted a pass Tony Romo threw to wide receiver Miles Austin during a 17–10 victory against the Dallas Cowboys. In Week 9, he set a season-high with 12 combined tackles (10 solo) during a 10–28 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started all 16 games throughout the 2009 NFL season and recorded 74 combined tackles (63 solo), 15 pass deflections, three interceptions, and one sack. In 2009, Bailey did not allow a touchdown in 80 passes thrown his way that year and played on 98% of the snaps.

In 2010, Bailey matched up against some of the NFL's best wideouts. He held Dwayne Bowe to no catches on 2 targets. The Arizona Cardinals only completed 3 passes on him for 19 yards in a game where he matched up with Larry Fitzgerald. Bailey was selected to play in his record-breaking 10th Pro Bowl. No cornerback in NFL history has been to more. He was ranked 48th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

It was announced on February 22, 2011, by the Broncos vice president of football operations, John Elway, that Bailey was re-signed to a 4-year contract.

During the 2012 offseason, Bailey was named the 46th-best player in the NFL by the league's network, NFL Network.

In 2012, Bailey was named an All-Pro for the 8th time of his career and was selected to the 2013 Pro Bowl. The Pro Bowl selection was his 12th, extending the record he set for trips by a cornerback, and tied the record for most Pro Bowls played, along with Randall McDaniel and Will Shields. On December 6, 2012, Bailey recorded the 52nd and final interception of his career, picking off Carson Palmer in a 26–13 victory on Thursday Night Football over the Oakland Raiders.

During the 2012 AFC Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens, Bailey was beaten woefully multiple times on deep routes by Ravens wide receiver Torrey Smith, who totaled 98 yards for two touchdowns on three catches as Baltimore would go on to win in dramatic fashion 38–35 in double overtime, en route to eventually winning Super Bowl XLVII. Bailey's struggles against Smith led to the initial speculation on the effectiveness of the aging 34-year-old cornerback.

During the 2013 offseason, Bailey was named the 53rd-best player in the NFL by his peers on the league's network, NFL Network.

During the course of the 2013 season, while not making his season debut until week 7 at the Indianapolis Colts, Bailey was limited to a career-low 5 games with a foot injury; however, Bailey returned in time for the playoffs and held his own when fellow cornerback, Chris Harris, was ruled out for the remainder of the season after a torn ACL Bailey played in his first Super Bowl at Super Bowl XLVIII in which he had 4 tackles in a 43–8 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. (which would turn out to be the final game Bailey played).

On March 6, 2014, the Denver Broncos released Bailey.

On April 4, 2014, Champ Bailey signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the New Orleans Saints. Bailey failed to make the final roster and was released by the team on August 30, 2014.

Bailey announced his retirement from professional football on October 18, 2014. On November 14, 2014, it was announced that Bailey would sign a one-day contract with Denver to allow him to officially retire as a Bronco.

On February 2, 2019, Bailey was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He was enshrined on August 3, 2019, during a ceremony in Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.

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