When Hall of Fame NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez was growing up in Torrance, he remembers spending Sundays watching the Los Angeles Raiders on television. After all, “they had Bo Jackson,” Gonzalez says of the famed running back. (The Rams, led by quarterback Jim Everett, were a close second.)
Like Jackson, the 48-year-old grew up to become a multi-sport athlete, playing basketball and football at Huntington Beach High School and UC Berkeley and then playing 17 seasons in the NFL as a tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons.
He may have retired from football, but Gonzalez is back on television as an analyst for Prime Video’s “Thursday Night Football,” a job that requires a lot of travel during the NFL football season.
On Sunday Funday, Angelenos share step-by-step instructions on what their ideal Sunday in the city would look like. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat, and how to enjoy life on the weekends.
During the offseason, though, Gonzalez cherishes the time he gets to spend at home with his family. Now that he, his wife, October, and their three children have returned to Los Angeles after living in Texas, Gonzalez is happy to be back in L.A. (Gonzalez also has a son from a previous relationship with Lauren Sanchez, the fiancée of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos). “When I left, I was like, ‘Why did I leave California?’” Gonzalez says. “I missed my family — my mom and my brother who live here. I also missed the ocean.”
When the NFL season begins on Sept. 5, Gonzalez will have to give up his Sundays — a day he describes as his “holy day” — because he will watch football all day to prepare for his halftime and postgame analysis for “Thursday Night Football.” Until then, Gonzalez can be found roaming the tree-lined streets of Montana Avenue in Santa Monica on foot and by bike as he enjoys a car-free day.
No stranger to doing play-by-play commentary, Gonzalez offers the following commentary on his perfect Sunday in Los Angeles when he's not on tour.
This interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
7 am: Meditate before starting the day.
The first thing I do when I wake up is meditate. I pray, sit, think, and close my eyes. I don't get out of bed, I take some time to be alone and gather my thoughts. It's a sacred moment for me and lasts about 10 minutes.
9am: Grab a coffee at Sweet Lady Jane while walking the dogs.
Mid-morning, I'll be taking my two dogs, Chica and Bronx, a black standard poodle and a labradoodle, for a walk. During our walk, I'll stop at Sweet Lady Jane I turn off Montana Avenue in Santa Monica to grab a coffee. Montana is where I'll be focused for the day. I'm used to traveling to watch Thursday Night Football and I'm always on a plane. So Sunday is my holy day. If I need to go somewhere, I walk; I walk everywhere. I don't get in the car.
10am: Shop local produce at the Santa Monica Farmers Market
After coffee and cake, my next stop is the Santa Monica Farmers Market, where I'll be doing some shopping. I like eggs, cheese, and meat from local farmers, and they have the best yogurt I've ever tasted. I love browsing the aisles and trying new things. It's a great place.
11 am: Enjoy ocean views at Palisades Park
If I don't go home, I'll walk there. Palisades ParkNorth of the Santa Monica Pier. I pick a street, say Marguerita or Montana, and walk to the end. After trying a few things at the farmers market, I walk to the cliffs overlooking the water. It’s so peaceful and beautiful there; it’s like you’re in another country. That’s California at its best. You can sit on a bench and look out at the water. Whenever people come from out of town, we take them there and have a picnic. The ocean is one of the reasons I wanted to move back to Los Angeles.
Noon: Afternoon training
Going for a run to Palisades Park from where I live is a good workout. It's about a mile from my house. I love walking to the ocean from my house and seeing the water. Then, after enjoying the ocean views, I walk or run back to the house and take a shower.
1:00 PM: Take a bike ride to Bay Cities Italian Deli & Bakery
After taking a shower, I will go by bike to Bay Cities Italian Bakery and DeliTheir sandwiches are the best. I usually customize my sandwich and order one with turkey, roast beef, avocado, provolone, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and mayo. And the bread is exceptional. That's what makes a sandwich good: the bread.
3:00 p.m.: Grab a craft beer at Father's Office gastropub
Later in the afternoon, I might head to Father's OfficeSang Yoon's gastropub in Santa Monica, where they have a great beer selection. It's a great place to grab a beer on Montana Avenue, which is my favorite area. Father's is small, but they have a nice outdoor area and great burgers. I might just grab a beer and then head home to relax.
19:00 h: Enjoy an Italian meal at La Condo Portofino
At the end of the day, I will have dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, The Portofino condominium on Montana Avenue. It's a modest Italian place near 11th Street and located next to a dry cleaner, which I love. They have some of the best Italian food in Los Angeles and the staff is super nice. After the COVID-19 pandemic, they expanded the location and created seating in the parking lot. So now you can sit outside if you prefer and end the day with a nice plate of pasta, a veal chop, and a glass of wine.
10pm: Read a book, catch up on TV and enjoy the day.
After dinner, I go home and read a book or try to find something to watch on Amazon Prime before I go to bed. That's my perfect day. The billion-dollar stadiums around the NFL are all about the fan experience. At home, that's my ultimate experience. In fact, I want to go do it right now.
