Rubbing it in? Tom Brady and the first team offense were still on the field well after the game was decided. Our NFL Czar wonders why. Moss at a Loss Santana Moss put on an embarrassing show Sunday, but he had lots of company. Kevin Hench recaps the day's action. In good hands Tom Brady's loving life and it showed Sunday. Ryan Wilson breaks down why Brady and the Pats' offense are downright scary.

About Jay Glazer Jay Glazer is a Senior NFL Writer for FOXSports.com on MSN and also appears regularly as a sideline reporter during telecasts of the NFL on FOX. MORE BY Jay Glazer: • Jones is still considering legal options • Strahan is the ultimate Sunday warrior See all articles >   NFL VIDEO • In the Pocket: Peterson's TD • Pro Pigskin Recap: AFC Week 6 • The Online OT: Week 6 Video Home MOST ROOTED FOR STORIES   Ruling says Falcons entitled to nearly $20M   Cowboys score 9 points in final 20 seconds   Ben Maller's NFL rumors   10 Truths: Understand before criticizing   10 Truths: Marvin in middle in Cincy   Romo rebounds to help Cowboys win   Despite distractions, Brady stays focused   Second Guesses: Pats pile on, McNabb sour?   In battle of 5-0 teams, Dallas needs it more   Vick's HS removes jersey from trophy case View all headlines... • Fantastic forties: Hottest celebs over 40 • You can eat healthy on just $7 a day • 7 mental roadblocks that undermine success FOX SPORTS STORE View the FOX Sports Store >

Gonzalez happy to be alive

Jay Glazer FOXSports.com, Updated 37 days ago  STORY TOOLS:                         print send blog RSS LIKE THIS STORY?

In an exclusive interview with FOX Sports Gonzalez revealed for the first time that this off-season he suffered a case of Bell's Palsy, a stroke-like virus. Unfortunately, that wasn't even the biggest scare of his career, nor his life.

"It happened in May," Gonzalez said. "I was sitting at home when I lost all the feeling in my tongue, my face and I got this terrible pain in the back of my head. Then it started getting worse, like someone was sticking a knife down my neck and in my traps muscle. I knew something was very wrong. Actually, I thought I was having a stroke."

Trying to remain calm, Gonzalez was rushed to the hospital with his son Nikko, then-fiancé and now-wife Toby and brother Chris in tow.

"Man, it scared the crap out of me," Gonzalez said. "How would you feel if all the sudden your face goes dead, you can't blink and you can't feel your tongue? I had this burning in my neck. It was bad."

At the hospital, it actually got even worse as doctors informed him he'd either had a stroke, a brain aneurysm or spinal meningitis.

"When I heard those three I started freaking out a bit," Gonzalez said. "Then the doctor said, 'Well, it could also be this thing called Bell's Palsy but we don't think so.' They had to strap me to this gurney and transport me to a hospital across town for a brain scan. I gave my little boy a hug and I almost started crying. I said to myself, 'I guess football is done.' "

Thankfully, the All-Pro tight end was, in fact, suffering from Bell's Palsy, which is treatable.

"They told me I couldn't play if the symptoms persisted but about a month into it I started to fully recover," Gonzalez said. "People usually come out of it with antibiotics and treatment, I used a lot of acupuncture with antibiotics. But some people it stays with them and they also told me in some cases you could die."

Gonzalez, fortunately, recovered but his nightmare didn't end there. Shortly before training camp he went to give blood to make sure everything checked out fine.

It didn't.

"I went to the stadium and the trainer Dave Price said I needed to come see him immediately," he recalled. "I went in his office and he had this look on his face that said something isn't good.

"I asked him what was wrong and all he would say is, 'Tony, it's not good but I don't want to say anything. You need to get to the hospital immediately to take another blood test. You need to go right now!'

"I kept asking him to tell me and all he would say is, 'It's bad.' "

Gonzalez got to the hospital but was kept in the dark. In fact, the nurse at hospital told Gonzalez it was very bad too but also wouldn't reveal what the issue was.

"I finally talked to our team doctor who told me my white blood cell count was very low and basically, if it all checked out I would need an emergency blood transfusion," Gonzalez recalled.

Gonzalez asked the doctor what that meant for football. The answer shocked him. He had a lot more to worry about than football. He needed to worry about his life.

"I just started to cry," Gonzalez said. "I was getting married this off-season, I have this great son. I wasn't ready to go. I was basically told I was fighting for my life."

Gonzalez left the hospital but was told to stick close by in case a transfusion was necessary. A few hours later his rollercoaster ride took one final crazy twist. Somebody got the wrong blood!

"Doc told me somebody out there was very sick but thank God it wasn't me," he recalled. "Imagine hearing that? Thank God the doc re-checked me.

"How crazy is that? Basically, I got to see what it would be like if I was going to die. It's completely changed my life. I really looked inside myself, into life, so many things. I do a lot of charity work with hospitals, it's really given me a completely different view of things."

Taking the field on Sunday, couldn't come fast enough for Gonzalez. Actually, he's just happy to be alive.

"I haven't won a Super Bowl but after the doc told me I was OK, I probably felt even better than that!"

A different take from Atlanta

When Falcons QB Michael Vick was suspended by the NFL, the silence from the locker room was deafening.

But the reality is Vick was not overly respected by many of his teammates. According to different Falcons sources, Vick acted as if there were 52 guys in one part of the locker room and one, No. 7, in his own world. Players tried to garner a relationship with him but Vick kept to his own crew and many players privately grumbled they couldn't win with Vick as he wouldn't do the extra things necessary to be a winner.

In fact, the sources have told FOX Sports that in their final game with Vick under center, their battle against the Eagles in the 2006 season finale, there was quietly a pool among some of Vick's teammates on when Vick would fake an injury and pull himself out of the game.

On the first play of the third quarter of that game, Vick left with an injury. We are by no means saying he faked it. He did, however, leave the rest of the game with that injury.

Prior to last season, the team tried to hold a retreat for team leaders at a nearby resort. The idea was for about eight team leaders to get away together and figure out a way to attack the season. Vick was the only invited player who did not show up. Not only didn't he show, he did not even bother calling. That obviously did not sit well with many of his teammates.

Russell getting close

Sources close to the Jamarcus Russell negotiations have told FOX Sports that both sides expect a deal to be ironed out by Monday morning. By the latest they expect Russell to be at practice on Wednesday. The sides negotiated Saturday night, morning and Friday as well.