"It wasn't the most memorable catch in what most certainly will be a Hall of Fame career for Tony Gonzalez, the standard for tight ends in the National Football League. But the 20-yard reception over the middle early in the third quarter of Atlanta's 15-9 loss to the Steelers on Sunday was a milestone for the 34-year-old Gonzalez.

He became the first tight end in league history with 1,000 catches and the seventh player to reach that plateau.

"Yeah, it means something to me, but it's overshadowed by the loss," said Gonzalez, who latched onto No. 1,001 late in the fourth quarter, a 15-yard sideline pass in front of the Steelers' Troy Polamalu. "What do 1,000 catches tell me? I've been in the league a long time. It's pretty special. It says I've been lucky to stay healthy. It tells me I've been lucky to have been in good systems. It tells me I've been lucky to have been surrounded by great players.

"I don't take it lightly."

Neither does Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan, who is in his second season throwing to Gonzalez since a 2009 trade for a second-round draft pick in 2010 brought Gonzalez to the Falcons from the Kansas City Chiefs."