Every NFL team's best all-time tight end

Casual fans may know Smith best for a horribly timed end zone drop, which admittedly hurt the Cowboys' chances of beating the Steelers in Super Bowl XIII. But he authored a prolific stretch with the Cardinals in his prime. Smith posted a 1,205-yard season in 1967, which set a tight end record that stood until the 14-game era wrapped. Smith's fifth St. Louis season still ranks 13th for TEs, with the top 12 all playing in much friendlier passing eras. That season came during a five-year run of Pro Bowls for a Cardinals team that has not seen much from the tight end position post-Smith. 

Jim Mitchell deserves mention here, as he earned two Pro Bowls in an 11-year Falcons career. Gonzalez, however, is among the few with the "greatest ever" claim. The ex-Chief gave Matt Ryan a reliable weapon and played well into his late 30s, adding four more Pro Bowls to his position-record 14. Acquired ahead of his 13th season in 2009, Gonzalez earned his last first-team All-Pro nod in 2012. He capped that year with a 19-yard grab to save the Falcons from a divisional-round collapse against the Seahawks. Gonzalez added 78 yards and a TD in the NFC championship game and retired after another productive season (859 yards) at age 37 a year later.

A similar debate pits Andrews against Todd Heap. The latter has the experience edge, playing 10 Baltimore seasons. Heap's two Pro Bowls trail Andrews' work through six years, with 2023 cut short due to injury. Already a three-time Pro Bowler and a first-team All-Pro by outproducing Travis Kelce in 2021, Andrews quickly usurped first-rounder Hayden Hurst and became an all-around dynamo for a Ravens team that has lacked dependability at wide receiver during the Lamar Jackson years. The two-time MVP, who is not as lethal targeting wideouts outside the hashes, has formed a vital rapport with Andrews. 

As the likes of Andre Reed, Eric Moulds and Stefon Diggs have been the top aerial chain-movers for the Bills, they have not seen a top-flight tight end stroll through town. Metzelaars receives the nod here due to a 10-year run during the Bills' post-merger peak. Vacillating between a player used almost strictly for blocking and one Jim Kelly featured heavily as an auxiliary target, the former Seahawks draftee tallied two 400-yard seasons and totaled a career-high 609 in Buffalo's fourth straight Super Bowl slate. Dawson Knox is already close, and the Bills will hope Dalton Kincaid separates himself soon. For now, however, a K-Gun-era piece is the pick.

Wesley Walls earned more Pro Bowl nods as a Panther than Olsen, being selected for five during a period that involved fewer invites. But Olsen operating as Carolina's de facto No. 1 receiver gives the eventual FOX breakout talent the edge. Acquired via trade from the Bears just after the lockout ceased in summer 2011, Olsen gave Cam Newton a regular presence. This included anchoring the Panthers' passing attack in 2015, when the team -- down Kelvin Benjamin for the season -- went 15-1 and booked a Super Bowl berth. Olsen ripped off three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons, rare tight end air, and succeeded Steve Smith as the only reliable Carolina target. 

More than 60 years later, Ditka's 1,076-yard debut remains the standard for rookie tight ends. Considering the changes unlocking passing attacks in the periods since, it remains staggering no first-year TE has passed this mark. While this was Ditka's only 1,000-yard season, he was prolific (for the era) two years later to help Chicago to its final George Halas-era championship. A strong blocker that later helped Gale Sayers to prominence, Ditka remains the top tight end in Bears history despite leaving Chicago six years into his 12-year career. His early 1960s work helped revolutionize the tight-end position.

Newsome joined Kellen Winslow in further unleashing the tight end position. A dynamic receiving option, Newsome totaled two 1,000-yard years and was on pace for his best season -- with a career-high 70.3 yards per game -- during the strike-shortened 1982 slate. Newsome did his best work before the Bernie Kosar years, being Brian Sipe's most dangerous aerial option. Winslow's presence in the Chargers' Air Coryell offenses impacted Newsome's All-Pro paths, and while he was not particularly productive in the final third of his career, this was still plenty for the future Ravens GM to draw Hall of Fame honors. 

Until the Bengals find their Joe Burrow-era tight end, this comes down to Holman and Bob Trumpy. While the latter was a more dangerous receiver, Holman was an elite blocker who also delivered steadily in the passing game. Holman played an auxiliary role alongside Cris Collinsworth, Eddie Brown and Tim McGee but was a part of James Brooks' rushing success and Ickey Woods' 1988 season, which ended with an AFC championship. Holman made three Pro Bowls and earned two second-team All-Pro distinctions, the latter of which coming during a 1990 season in which the Bengals won a playoff game. 

More a death by a thousand cuts-style tight end than a long-range game-breaker, Witten excelled as a short- and mid-range option during the Cowboys' Tony Romo years. Highlighting this consistency, Witten averaged between 11 and 11.9 yards per catch nine times. He earned first-team All-Pro honors twice -- both coming during the primes of Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates -- and was the steadiest option during a quality (if unfulfilling) stretch for the Cowboys. Witten produced four 1,000-yard seasons and joined an elite O-line in helping DeMarco Murray and Ezekiel Elliott to rushing championships. 

Sharpe has become nearly as famous for his TV roles, but he was the centerpiece pass catcher during the Broncos' franchise zenith. A converted wide receiver, Sharpe morphed from Division I-AA prospect/seventh-round pick to perennial All-Pro. John Elway's staying power can partially be attributed to Sharpe's 1993 emergence; the dynamic pass catcher earned first-team All-Pro honors four times from 1993-98. Part of Denver's triplets along with Elway and Terrell Davis, Sharpe notched three 1,000-yard seasons and remained productive upon returning to the team in 2002. Sharpe's first down in the 1997 AFC championship game also booked the Broncos' Super Bowl XXXII appearance. 

Sanders being the second-team All-Decade tight end for the 1970s without posting a 700-yard receiving season does well to illustrate how teams played football then. The 1968 third-round pick toiled during a largely down Lions period but managed to draw acclaim nonetheless. Sanders was a first-team All-Pro in 1970 and '71, topping 550 yards in neither season. During a physical era at the position, Sanders was productive into his 30s despite the Lions' QB situation being far from optimal as the 1970s progressed. It took Sanders a bit for Hall of Fame induction (2007), but he is the only Lions tight end enshrined. 

Kramer and Sanders played together briefly in Detroit, but the former was a central part of Green Bay's offenses during Vince Lombardi's tenure. Kramer is the Packers pick because of his blocking ability, which the Packers used at a rather notable point on their timeline. Kramer helped Jim Taylor break up Jim Brown's run of rushing titles in 1962, the best team in Packers history, and was essential for Lombardi's famed sweep plays. That said, Kramer eclipsed 500 receiving yards each year from 1961-64. He caught four passes for 80 yards and two touchdowns in the Packers' 1961 NFL championship game win over the Giants. 

This franchise has not developed a top-tier tight end, but Daniels should not be overlooked. He earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2008, when both Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates were in the AFC, and returned alongside Rob Gronkowski in 2012. Daniels topped 700 receiving yards three times, reaching 862 in '08, and was regularly the Texans' Andre Johnson sidekick during Matt Schaub's run with the team. Daniels played eight seasons in Houston and followed Gary Kubiak to Baltimore in 2014 and then to Denver, where he won a Super Bowl after catching two TD passes in the AFC title game, the following year. 

The Gronkowski-Travis Kelce debate already overlooks Gonzalez, which is a mistake, and obscures Mackey's dominance. Mackey secured a seat among the all-time greats. A 1963 second-round pick out of Syracuse, Mackey played alongside Raymond Berry and Lenny Moore to give Johnny Unitas a lethal receiving cadre in the 1960s. During a run-centric decade, Mackey eclipsed 700 receiving yards thrice in his first four seasons; he got there by averaging more than 20 yards per catch in 1963 and '65. A quality blocker, Mackey is better remembered for his after-the-catch work ( as this 1966 dash best shows). He remained with the Colts in time to score a strange touchdown in the team's Super Bowl V win.

Lewis' blocking talent has allowed for historic longevity. The Bears are about to make the 2006 first-rounder the first pure tight end in NFL history to play a 19th season. Prior to his endurance in Green Bay and Chicago, Lewis was in place for over a decade in Jacksonville. The Jaguars struggled to find a quarterback during Lewis' 12 seasons with the team, but he did notch a 700-yard, 10-touchdown season in 2010. Blocking for the likes of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew, Lewis stuck around long enough to be part of the surprising 2017 team -- featuring rookie Leonard Fournette -- that journeyed to the cusp of Super Bowl LII.

If the Chiefs drafted Kelce and Tony Gonzalez in the same year, here is betting the eventual pop culture star is the backup. But Kelce has been essential to the best period in Chiefs history. And the former third-round pick has distanced himself statistically from everyone else. Kelce is the only tight end with more than four 1,000-yard seasons; he has seven. Kelce began his run as the Chiefs' aerial centerpiece with Alex Smith, but becoming Patrick Mahomes' wingman will allow him first-ballot Canton access. Kelce bailed out the Chiefs following their Tyreek Hill trade in 2022 and has scored more playoff TDs (19) than anyone but Jerry Rice. 

A Christensen-over-Dave Casper pick is not that crazy. Casper enjoyed a Hall of Fame quarterback for most of his Raiders years, while Christensen became the NFL's most productive tight end during a five-year stretch with an aging Jim Plunkett and an underwhelming Marc Wilson. A converted running back, Christensen led the NFL in receptions in 1983 and drove a Super Bowl-winning team's aerial attack. The Raiders earned the AFC's No. 1 seed in 1985, when their TE again led the league in catches. Christensen posted three 1,000-yard seasons and led all TEs in yardage from 1983-86. Though Casper was the better blocker, he also only enjoyed four notable Raiders seasons.

Antonio Gates' 116 career TDs are the most among tight ends in NFL history, but this pick is not too difficult. Winslow is effectively the founding father of the modern tight end, and the Chargers centered their cutting-edge Air Coryell offenses around their tight end's receiving gifts. This is a Jordan-over-LeBron-style argument, as Winslow played nine seasons to Gates' 16. But the Bolts led the NFL in passing in five straight seasons. Winslow was the central reason, pacing the league in catches twice and producing three 1,000-yard seasons. Winslow also maybe delivered the signature TE game -- a 13-catch, 166-yard showing (feat. a blocked field goal) -- that powered the Bolts to the 1981 AFC title game.

Klein and Winslow were teammates in 1979, and the former delayed the rookie's ascent by a year with a career-high receiving and touchdown total. Those numbers checking in at 424 yards and five TDs reflect Klein's impact as a blocker and the Rams' long-running issue finding an impact tight end. A Ram from 1969-76, Klein was present during the team's string of NFC West titles and was viewed as a strong blocker during his time. Helping Lawrence McCutcheon to a run of 1,000-yard rushing seasons, Klein never passed 350 yards in a campaign. Driven by receivers, Rams offenses just have not produced many notable receiving seasons from the TE position.

A Dolphin from 1978-89, Hardy claims this spot in a Pete Metzelaars-like longevity-based case. He was in place as a blocking presence and sporadic receiving threat during the David Woodley period and Dan Marino's early years. Hardy started 95 games and eclipsed 400 receiving yards in a season twice. He started in both Dolphins 1980s Super Bowls and caught five of Marino's record-setting 48 touchdown passes in 1984. Hardy also scored twice in the Dolphins' "Epic in Miami" shootout loss to the Chargers in the 1981 divisional round and accumulated 31 TD receptions during his career. 

His prime overlapping with Winslow, Newsome and Christensen's careers, Jordan is probably a bit underrated at this point. But he delivered consistently for Jerry Burns' teams. Jordan was a six-time Pro Bowler (1986-91) who managed to play his entire career (13 seasons) in Minnesota. Working as an Anthony Carter wingman during his best years, Jordan surpassed 750 receiving yards three times. Although Steve -- the father of Cam Jordan -- was not known for his blocking, the Vikings relied on him for an extended period during the Tommy Kramer and Wade Wilson years.

In terms of dominance and all-around ability, a gap still exists between Gronkowski and his peers. While George Kittle's best stuff has invited questions between he and Travis Kelce in recent years, no debate existed about the NFL's best tight end for most of the 2010s. Gronkowski played the lead role in Tom Brady's ring count expanding during that period, as four first-team All-Pro nods (from 2011-17) attest. Kelce has stayed healthier, but his first-team All-Pro count remains at four. Gronk was the NFL's biggest matchup nightmare during his Patriots years, giving Brady an unrivaled weapon, and he added 15 touchdowns in 22 playoff games.

Graham's first Saints stint lasted five years, with the first being a developmental season. He rocketed onto the Gronkowski tier during that stretch alongside Drew Brees. Graham scored three Pro Bowl invites in this span, which included three 1,000-yard slates and three double-digit touchdown showings. The Saints set a still-standing total yardage record in Graham's first starter season (2011), which preceded a divisional-round tight end duel with Vernon Davis, and the former third-rounder led the NFL in TD catches (16) two years later. Tacking bonus points onto this claim, Graham scored four TDs in his age-38 season upon returning to Louisiana.

Todd Christensen relinquished the tight end belt to Bavaro in 1986, with the hulking Giants starter earning first-team All-Pro acclaim during the franchise's first Super Bowl-winning season and then in '87 as well. A nightmare to tackle, Bavaro excelled in the Giants' power run game as well, clearing space for Joe Morris and Ottis Anderson. Bavaro remains the only 1,000-yard Giants tight end, separating himself from Jeremy Shockey, and he was the pass-game centerpiece for a few New York teams thin on WR talent. Bavaro combined for nine receptions in the Giants' two Bill Parcells-era Super Bowl wins, scoring a memorable TD in Super Bowl XXI.

Caster's career unfolded during a rough Jets period, though he gave Joe Namath a top-flight weapon during the Hall of Famer's injury-plagued final seasons. Caster averaged at least 16.9 yards per catch in seven of his eight Jets seasons; that is rarely encroached-upon territory for tight ends. The Jets even moved the 6-foot-5 cog to wide receiver late in his tenure. Caster scored 10 touchdowns in 1972 and surpassed 800 receiving yards twice, doing so in a run-centric era and with unstable QB situations. Three of Caster's eight Jets seasons produced Pro Bowl invites.

If we were arranging a Survivor Series-type tight end competition, the Eagles would have a good chance at prevailing. Zach Ertz, Keith Jackson and Pete Retzlaff also represent good options here. Pihos being the pick stretches the boundaries a bit, as positional variance was rampant among skill players during his era. A part-time wide receiver who played defense, Pihos spent extensive time at tight end as well. He was part of the two Eagles championship teams in 1948 and '49 and ran wild statistically in the 1950s, passing 1,000 receiving yards in 1953 and 800 in 1955. Pihos was a first-team All-Pro in his final four seasons (1952-55). 

In the Jason Witten mold, Miller gave Ben Roethlisberger a security blanket for an extended period. The Steelers have been trying to replace him for nearly a decade. Miller played 11 seasons (all in Pittsburgh, and as the team continued to move on from wide receivers (Santonio Holmes, Mike Wallace, Emmanuel Sanders) during this stretch, tight end remained a priority. Miller started throughout his tenure, which included three Super Bowl seasons, scoring four playoff touchdowns. Although "Renegade" remains a part of the Acrisure Stadium soundtrack, "Heath!" has been missed over the past several years.

Russ Francis collected a Super Bowl ring during a six-season 49ers tenure, but his best work came in New England. Kittle has distanced himself as the pick here, become the NFL's best all-around tight end. Not blessed with the circumstances of Kelce, nor quite being the level of receiver the Chiefs icon is, Kittle is among the best blocking tight ends this century. Kittle is vital for the 49ers' balanced attack, but when utilized in the passing game, the Iowa alum shines. A four-time Pro Bowler with three 1,000-yard years under his belt, Kittle is close to completing a compelling Canton case. His 12 TDs in 2022 did well to help Brock Purdy assimilate.

While Francis lost out to Gronkowski and Kittle, Graham having played for two teams with minimal tight end histories gives him a two-fer here. Although Graham's best performances came in New Orleans, Russell Wilson frequently looked his way in the red zone. The 6-foot-7 weapon, acquired via blockbuster trade in 2015, scored 18 touchdowns as a Seahawk and put together a 900-yard season in 2016. Receiving two Pro Bowl nods in Seattle, Graham moved on via a lucrative Packers deal in 2018. The Seahawks struggled to replace him.

The Buccaneers held Giles in high regard from the start, making him part of a still-underwhelming trade haul that gave the Oilers the 1978 No. 1 overall pick (Earl Campbell). Giles still produced for the Bucs, who were competent during a chunk of the tight end's eight-plus-year stay. Giles became a Doug Williams favorite early, venturing to three Pro Bowls during the future Super Bowl MVP's time in Tampa, and was a starter for the Bucs' three playoff teams from 1979-82. When the wheels fell off for the team, Giles still booked a fourth Pro Bowl -- with Steve Young at the controls -- in his final full season as a Buccaneer (1985).

A list of best non-Rob Gronkowski tight ends of the 2010s needs to place Walker high, as he maximized the back end of his prime well in Nashville. The 49ers' overqualified TE2 alongside Vernon Davis for several years -- a period that ended with Super Bowl XLVII -- Walker tapped into his talents upon signing with the Titans in 2013. The Division II product proceeded to string together four straight 800-plus yard seasons, including a 1,088-yard showing in 2015, to help a Titans team breaking in Marcus Mariota. A stout blocker, Walker helped DeMarco Murray rebound after a down Eagles year as well.

Shannon Sharpe set a new record for touchdowns by a tight end during his final season; the future Hall of Famer/TV debater broke a record that had stood since 1976. Smith's record lasting until 2003 is quite impressive considering the era in which he played. With Washington from 1965-77, Smith shined as a Sonny Jurgensen target early in his career and was still productive after Billy Kilmer took the reins during George Allen's HC stint. Smith scored 12 touchdowns in 1967 and then tallied nine in 1969 and '70. When Washington ventured to Super Bowl VII, Smith scored seven TDs. Not a Hall of Famer, but a Hall of Very Good member.