04 January 2024 , 12:29
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Whoopi Goldberg was left stunned when she found out she's related to NFL superstar Tony Gonzalez. On a recent episode of 'The View', the TV star was told by historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. that new DNA findings show she and Gonzalez are cousins.
Gonzalez, a former NFL player, had an amazing career with the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, earning a spot in the Pro Bowl 14 times. The surprising news was revealed by Gates, who hosts the PBS series 'Finding Your Roots'. In this show, he teams up with expert genealogists and historians to tell guests about their family history.
Whoopi had previously appeared on the show when it was called African American Lives. But it wasn't until more than ten years later that Gates discovered her link to Gonzalez. He explained: "On the first series, I did [a number of Black celebrities including] Whoopi and we didn't have the sophisticated tests that we now use for DNA at that time."
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He then dropped the bombshell: "You all know about DNA cousins? You have a DNA cousin, dear ... Tony Gonzalez is your DNA cousin." While he didn't specify how closely related they are, he added: "How's that for a Christmas present?"
Whoopi was speechless upon hearing the news. With her mouth wide open, she exclaimed: "That's my cousin!?"
Gates clarified that in 1873, Goldberg's ancestors got over 100 acres of land in Florida due to an application after the Homestead Act of 1862. Her family was among the lucky 10 percent group of African Americans whose land claims were accepted by the government.
Gonzalez had a stellar 17-season NFL career, earning six First-team All-Pro nominations. He was also named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. After catching 111 touchdowns and racking up over 15,000 receiving yards, Gonzalez was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019.
Presently, he works as a football analyst on Prime Video. A visibly composed Goldberg excitedly invited: "Cousin Tony, come see me here. We'd like to have you here at The View. Tony Gonzalez, come on!"
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story.