Within the NFL, it’s by no means been extra necessary to have a look at one of the best tight ends of all time. The place is extra necessary than ever and a number of the biggest TEs in NFL historical past have performed for the reason that flip of the century and may nonetheless be enjoying right this moment.
However simply because a participant’s profession not too long ago ended or continues to be enjoying doesn’t imply that they will’t be thought of among the many biggest tight ends ever.
Finest tight ends of all time
Naturally, we needed to prolong our record to twenty so as to embody one of the best TEs ever. Along with all the latest tight ends to make a huge effect within the league, there are many gamers from previous generations who’re among the many biggest tight ends of all time.
In fact, even with 20 spots, we weren’t capable of embody each deserving tight finish. However right here is our rating of the 20 greatest tight ends of all time.
20. Dallas Clark
Regardless of popping out of Iowa, a standard hotbed for tight ends, Dallas Clark was usually missed throughout his profession, showing at only one Professional Bowl. However he performed 11 seasons within the NFL and had one of the crucial dependable units of palms of any tight finish throughout his era.
Clark’s numbers have been hardly ever eye-popping, though he did have one season with 100 catches and over 1,100 receiving yards, which is sufficient to put him on our record of the 20 greatest TEs ever.
19. Keith Jackson
In 9 brief seasons with three totally different groups, Keith Jackson put collectively a profession that put him within the Corridor of Fame.
He was a Professional Bowl choice in six of these 9 years and a First-Workforce All-Professional member in every of his first three NFL seasons.
18. Vernon Davis
The again half of his profession was stricken by accidents, however throughout his heyday with the 49ers early in his profession, there have been few tight ends higher than Vernon Davis.
He was an exceptional athlete, making him one of many few tight ends who might be thought of a bonafide deep risk.
Davis even led the NFL in receiving touchdowns one season, which is a rarity for tight ends. Whereas he made simply two Professional Bowls, Davis put collectively a formidable profession nonetheless.
17. Jimmy Graham
In his prime, there was no tight finish extra feared than Jimmy Graham. He was primarily a large receiver who might additionally play on the road and block.
Sadly, his prime solely lasted 4 or 5 seasons. However throughout that point, Graham had two seasons with over 1,200 receiving yards and led the NFL in receiving touchdowns in 2013. These seasons and his prime and his 5 Professional Bowl choices undoubtedly make Graham the most effective tight ends of all time.
16. Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen put in 14 sturdy seasons earlier than retiring after the 2020 season. His solely downside is that he performed in an period that was stuffed with nice tight ends.
That restricted him to only three Professional Bowl choices. However Olsen additionally completed his profession with over 8,000 receiving yards, racking up over 1,000 yards in a season thrice.
15. Jerry Smith
Off the sector, Jerry Smith was a fearless trailblazer whose life story must be discovered by each fan.
On the sector, Smith was additionally a trailblazer, serving to to point out that tight ends might do greater than block. Whereas he solely made the Professional Bowl twice in his 13 seasons, he retired because the all-time chief in landing catches by a decent finish.
14. Charlie Sanders
Whereas his receiving stats don’t measure as much as a number of the different nice tight ends, Charlie Sanders had an excellent 10-year profession that finally put him within the Corridor of Fame.
He was an distinctive blocker and did amass over 4,800 receiving yards and 7 Professional Bowl invites earlier than an harm pressured him to retire early. However, he was the most effective tight ends of the Nineteen Seventies.
13. Ben Coates
With all the nice tight ends within the twenty first century, we typically overlook Ben Coates as one of many biggest tight ends of all time. He was absolutely the most effective of the Nineties, spending most of his profession with the Patriots earlier than they’d Tom Brady making life simpler for everybody else.
At one level, he set the single-season document for receptions by a decent finish with 96. Coates was additionally a five-time Professional Bowler and a Tremendous Bowl champion who completed his profession with over 5,500 receiving yards and 50 touchdowns.
12. Dave Casper
Dave Casper was part of a number of iconic moments in Raiders historical past, making him one of many franchise’s most memorable gamers. The Corridor of Famer was additionally a five-time Professional Bowler and a four-time First-Workforce All-Professional Choice.
He additionally performed as an offensive lineman at occasions and didn’t catch many passers early in his profession. Nonetheless, Casper finally emerged as a key goal within the passing recreation, amassing over 5,000 receiving yards throughout his profession.
11. Jackie Smith
Jackie Smith is probably the proper instance of an old-school tight finish mixed with a new-school tight finish. He might block in addition to anybody but additionally confirmed unimaginable grace as a pass-catcher.
Like several true tight finish, he welcomed contact and will break arm tackles. Accidents slowed him a bit of, however within the prime of his profession, Smith went to 5 straight Professional Bowls, in the end ending his Corridor of Fame profession with just below 8,000 receiving yards.
10. Mike Ditka
Most folk most likely bear in mind Mike Ditka as a coach, however earlier than then, he was one heck of a decent finish. Simply by him, it’s simple to see that he was a hard-nosed tight finish.
Ditka was a direct star with the Bears in 1961, profitable offensive Rookie of the 12 months honors and going to his first of 5 straight Professional Bowls. Throughout his heyday, Ditka might block in addition to any tight finish within the league, however he was additionally a part of a era of tight ends that made their presence identified within the passing recreation, as he completed his profession with over 5,800 receiving yards.
9. Ozzie Newsome
Earlier than he was a profitable govt within the NFL, Ozzie Newsome was the most effective tight ends of his era.
He set data and made a huge effect throughout his 13-year profession, all coming with the Browns. Newsome was the most effective within the league through the Nineteen Eighties, going to 3 Professional Bowls and early All-Professional honors six occasions.
8. Kellen Winslow
Despite the fact that his son by no means lived as much as his full potential, the elder Kellen Winslow is unquestionably among the many greatest tight ends of all time. Whereas he solely performed 9 seasons, he made probably the most of it, making 5 Professional Bowls.
Winslow had the ability set that the majority tight ends can solely dream of possessing. He might block like a lineman however catch passes like a large receiver, which is why he led the NFL in receptions twice.
7. Jason Witten
There aren’t many NFL gamers who can declare to have gone to 11 Professional Bowls, a lot much less tight ends to succeed in that mark. However most tight ends aren’t Jason Witten, who performed 17 years within the league and was as constant as any tight finish within the league throughout that point.
Witten was additionally as sturdy as any tight finish to play the sport. He performed 16 video games in each season besides his rookie yr when he solely performed 15 video games. That’s a giant cause why he’s performed in additional video games than some other tight finish and why he completed his profession with over 1,200 receptions and over 13,000 receiving yards.
6. John Mackey
John Mackey is arguably probably the most influential tight finish in NFL historical past, so he should be thought of among the many biggest tight ends of all time.
Earlier than Mackey, tight ends have been hardly ever used as pass-catchers in a significant means. He ended his profession with over 5,000 receiving yards, which was a rarity for tight ends of his period. Mackey performed 10 seasons, making the Professional Bowl 5 occasions, and was finally elected to the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame.
5. Antonio Gates
Who might have guessed that an undrafted participant who performed basketball in school might find yourself being one of many biggest tight ends ever?
However that’s precisely what occurred with Antonio Gates, who nonetheless holds the all-time document for receiving touchdowns by a decent finish.
He performed 16 seasons within the NFL and infrequently missed a recreation in his profession. Gates was a 1,000-yard receiver twice, which is a rarity for tight ends. Beginning along with his second season within the league, Gates went to eight straight Professional Bowls, serving to to place him excessive on our record.
4. Rob Gronkowski
For many of his profession, there was no tight finish within the league defensive gamers needed to protect one-on-one lower than Rob Gronkowski. He was an absolute beast who was solely slowed down by accidents.
In equity, he had Tom Brady throwing him the ball for many of his profession. However Gronk nonetheless discovered methods to get open and do loads of harm after the catch. Along with his 4 Tremendous Bowl wins, Gronkowski was a Professional Bowler 5 occasions and nonetheless holds the document for many receiving touchdowns in a single season by a decent finish.
3. Travis Kelce
At the same time as an lively participant, Travis Kelce has executed sufficient to be thought of among the many biggest TEs in NFL historical past. At occasions, he’s merely been not possible to defend one-on-one. In 2015, Kelce started a run of 9 straight Professional Bowl choices and counting.
In 2020, he set the single-season document for receiving yards by a decent finish and in addition owns the tight finish document with seven straight 1,000-yard seasons. By the point he’s completed enjoying, he might have a robust argument for being one of the best tight finish of all time.
2. Shannon Sharpe
Shannon Sharpe is really solely of these gamers who performed tight finish within the physique of a large receiver. He was undoubtedly one of the best tight finish of the Nineties, spending your entire decade with the Broncos, serving to them win two Tremendous Bowls.
He was an eight-time Professional Bowler and 4 occasions was chosen as a First-Workforce All-Professional. Sharpe was the primary tight finish in NFL historical past to surpass 10,000 receiving yards, and whereas a lot of his data of since been damaged, he retired because the all-time chief in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns amongst tight ends.
1. Tony Gonzalez
Within the historical past of tight ends, no person has performed the place higher than Tony Gonzalez.
Regardless of how grueling the place might be, he performed 17 seasons within the NFL, lacking simply two video games in his total profession. In these 17 seasons, Gonzalez was chosen to the Professional Bowl 14 occasions and was an All-Professional on 10 events. He’s additionally the all-time chief in profession receptions and receiving yards for a decent finish, leaving little doubt that he’s one of the best tight finish of all time.
Who has one of the best tight finish stats ever?
Tony Gonzalez leads the way in which with tight finish stats. Gonzalez is the profession chief in receptions and receiving yards on the place. Antonio Gates is the one tight finish with extra touchdowns than Gonzalez.
What number of tight ends are within the HOF?
9. There have been 9 tight ends inducted into the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame. Tony Gonzalez was the latest to be voted into the museum together with Shannon Sharpe, Charlie Sanders, Dave Casper, Ozzie Newsome, Kellen Winslow, Jackie Smith, John Mackey, and Mike Ditka.
Who’re the best paid tight ends of all-time?
Jimmy Graham is the highest-paid tight finish of all-time with $82,615,640 in profession earnings. Vernon Davis trails Graham with $79,468,750. Travis Kelce signed a contract after the 2023 season which ought to finally see him turn out to be the highest-paid tight finish ever — Kelce is at present third on the record. If we use cap-inflated earnings, Tony Gonzalez is the highest-paid tight finish by a major margin with $203,391,913.
Who has the longest tight finish profession?
Marcedes Lewis has the longest tight finish profession ever. The 2024 season is Lewis’ nineteenth marketing campaign within the NFL, placing him two seasons forward of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez.
Who has probably the most TE receptions in a season?
Zach Ertz’s 116 receptions for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2018 is the document for probably the most tight finish receptions in an NFL common season.
Has a TE ever led the league in yards?
No, a decent finish has by no means led the NFL in receiving yards. Kellen Winslow’s 1,290 receiving yards in 1980 are the closest any tight finish has obtained to touchdown the receiving title. Winslow completed second to his teammate John Jefferson by 50 yards. Travis Kelce was second to Stefon Diggs in 2020 however was 119 yards behind.
Which tight finish has probably the most receiving yards in a recreation?
Shannon Sharpe set the document for probably the most receiving yards by a decent finish in a recreation in October 2002. Sharpe had in a recreation in opposition to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on October twentieth.
What number of tight ends can play without delay?
Groups can select to have between zero and three tight ends on the sector without delay. Offensive coordinators will change up the variety of tight ends on the sector all through the sport relying on availability, fatigue, and recreation state of affairs.
What number of tight ends have had 1000-yard seasons?
There are 25 tight ends in NFL historical past who’ve recorded a 1000-yard season. Of these, 13 have had a number of 1000-yard seasons. Travis Kelce is the document holder with seven 1000-yard seasons, forward of Rob Gronkowski, Jason Witten, and Tony Gonzalez, who had 4 apiece.
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