No tight end has started a career better than Jackson. His numbers, longevity, and consistency shaped him in the mold of Peyton Manning.
Of course, old-school sports buffs will point out that a good tight end also keys the ground game. In 1967 Smith recorded 56 receptions and averaged 21.5 yards per catch on his way to 1,205 yards. Odoms averaged 14.5 yards per reception, and also had over 200 rushing yards in his career.
Clark had over 5,000 receiving yards in his career, posting 53 touchdowns.
His early seasons were always questioned because of the touchdown counts, but he is starting to improve more with red zone usage. During a career spanning from 1978 until 1990, The Wizard of Oz rivaled Kellen Winslow for the title of greatest pass-catching tight end of his era. if (typeof element === 'function') { During a stretch in Carolina, Olsen had three seasons with over 1,000 yards. He also had two seasons where he caught over 90 receptions. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He made All-Pro in 1982 despite only playing in nine games. He was a Pro Bowler 11 times and was named All-Pro twice. New England 1991-99; Baltimore Ravens 2000, 158 games – 499 catches, 5,555 yards (11.1 ypc), 50 TDs. He was a favorite target of Bernie Kosar's on a Cleveland Browns team that fell agonizingly short of two Super Bowl appearances at the hands of the Broncos. He had two double-digit touchdown seasons and had a career-high 100 receptions and 1,106 yards in 2009 which was his only Pro Bowl and All-Pro season. First-team All-Pro (1969), 2-time Pro Bowler, 168 games – 421 catches, 5,496 yards (13.1 ypc), 60 TDs. As an offbeat intellectual, Christensen was one of the many characters cast to don the Silver and Black. From 2011-17, if he played more than 14 games he made the All-Pro team, which unfortunately was only four times.
At 6-foot-5 and 251 pounds, Winslow used his long strides to consistently burn opposing defenses for big plays. Here’s a look at the 10 individuals who played their way onto this list. It's hard not to imagine where Graham would be on this list had the New Orleans Saints not traded him to the Seattle Seahawks. When looking back at eras, tight ends over the last twenty years have emerged as huge receiving threats.
Gates caught 955 receptions and were Philip Rivers’s main go-to option for many years. He also had a career-high nine touchdowns that year. We have seen names like George Kittle and Zach Ertz start to emerge as the next tight end stars.
Probably the most complete tight end in history. During the era, Newsome was a strong receiving tight end. For his career, Ditka caught 427 balls for 5,812 yards and 43 touchdowns. This ranking might seem a little low for Sharpe, but he dropped a few spots because of his reputation as a poor blocker. Build your own custom leaderboards with Stathead Football.