Gonzalez: 17 seasons are enough

Tight end Tony Gonzalez, 37, reaffirmed Sunday that he doesn’t plan to play another NFL game after the Atlanta Falcons lost 21-20 to the Carolina Panthers.

“It’s time for me to go into the next stage of life just like everybody else,” said Gonzalez, the No. 1 active player in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns.

“Nobody’s immune to this, and the way I’ve been able to go out on my own terms, it’s a blessing. And like I said, I have no regrets.”

Gonzalez’s wife and three kids greeted him with hugs at halftime after Falcons owner Arthur Blank presented him with a commemorative helmet, half Chiefs-half Falcons, and the Georgia Dome flashed video highlights of his 12 years with Kansas City and 5 with Atlanta.

“I felt like crying at times, and then the game comes up and you’re all intense, trying to go out there and do what I’ve been doing for the last 17 years,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez ended the game with 4 catches for 56 yards receiving, leaving him as the league’s No. 2 career leading receiver (1,321 receptions), fifth all time in receiving yards (15,071) and sixth all time in touchdowns (111). He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 13 of his 17 seasons.

Ravens reign ends

This much is certain after a crazy final week of the NFL regular season: Twelve of the league’s 30 teams have qualified for the playoffs, and there will be a new Super Bowl champion come the first week of February.

Baltimore Ravens, who made an unlikely run to the Super Bowl title last season, were eliminated on Sunday with a 34-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, who scored the final 17 points of a game that Baltimore needed to win to make the playoffs for a sixth consecutive season.

The Ravens (8-8) became the 15th Super Bowl champ that failed to reach the playoffs the following season, and the sixth in the past 12 years as their running game fell apart, the offense too often settled for field goals, and the defense missed Ray Lewis’ inspiration in the big moments.

“That’s it,” Coach John Harbaugh said. “That ends it. That stings.”Jets win, Ryan stays

There were will be no more speculation about whether Rex Ryan will remain coach of the New York Jets.

The Jets (8-8) defeated the Miami Dolphins (8-8) to knock the Dolphins out of the playoffs Sunday in Miami, but Ryan said he received an official thumbs up from owner Woody Johnson before the game started.

When players were told afterward, they cheered in the locker room.

“I’ll say this - I love being the head coach of the New York Jets, plain and simple,” Ryan said. “You put everything you’ve got into it. I never wanted to go out this way. We’ve missed the playoffs three straight years, and that bothers me, no question.”Browns axe coach

Rob Chudzinski is out as Cleveland Browns head coach after less than one year on the job.

Cleveland’s front office fired Chudzinski on Sunday night hours after a loss in Pittsburgh to end his first season, which started promising but ended with a seven-game losing streak and a 4-12 record.

Chudzinski, a lifelong Browns fan who grow up in Ohio, was hired by owner Jimmy Haslam and CEO Joe Banner on Jan. 11, less than one year ago.

The Browns were 4-5 after a victory over Baltimore on Nov. 3, and Banner at the time praised Chudzinski, who had dealt with more than his share of obstacles.

“I’d be hard pressed to think that in nine weeks a first-time head coach can do any better or any more than he’s doing,” Banner said on Nov. 13. “All of the measurables that you’d look to come up with, if you even wanted to create a yardstick of measuring at this moment, I just think he’s doing an outstanding job.”

Chudzinski dealt with an unsettled quarterback situation as the Browns were forced to use three starters because of injuries. The team also traded running back Trent Richardson and never adequately replaced him.

Injury update

Giants quarterback Eli Manning was knocked out of Sunday’s 20-6 win over Washington after spraining his left ankle late in the first half. Manning started his 150th consecutive game, but was injured throwing an incomplete pass under pressure from defensive end Chris Baker.

He was intercepted by Josh Wilson on the next play and limped off the field, heading directly to the locker room, ending his day at 10 of 24 for 152 yards and a touchdown, and his career-high and NFL-leading 27th interception.

The Giants also lost receivers Rueben Randle (knee), Hakeem Nicks (ankle) and offensive tackle Will Beatty (broken leg) in the regular-season finale. The Redskins saw cornerback Josh Wilson (calf) and defensive end Jarvis Jenkins (head) leave the game. … Seattle lost defensive tackle Brandon Mebane and tight end Luke Willson to injuries in a 27-9 victory over St. Louis.

Willson was taken off the field on a cart with 13 minutes remaining after suffering an injury to his lower left leg. He was placed in an air cast on the field and helped on to the cart after being tackled on a 4-yard reception. Mebane was announced as being out with a hip injury suffered in the second half.

… Cincinnati had to reconfigure its offensive line again after center Kyle Cook suffered a foot injury and tackle Anthony Collins hurt ankles.

Sports, Pages 18 on 12/30/2013