What started off as a secret colloquy amongst the 49ers in 2018 soon became a national affair. As the league marks the 5th anniversary of the ‘National Tight Ends Day’ this year, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of it. The tale started back in 2018 when the 49ers were on the field against the Detroit Lions. Jimmy Garoppolo passed an 11-yard TD to ex-TE Garrett Celek, who dragged two defenders into the end zone with him. Celebrating on the sidelines, Garoppolo, Celek, and Kittle created their little holiday, one which is now celebrated by the whole league.

After getting officiated by the NFL, the holiday soon became a torchbearer for the tight ends. The scenarios began changing rapidly after dynamic coaches like Chiefs’ Andy Reid started using the tight ends as a focal point of their attacks. Along with this, the league has witnessed some excellent tight ends embark on their own legacies.

From Ozzie Newsome to Mike Ditta, each player standing in this position has contributed to refining the position. Long gone are the days when the tight ends’ roles traditionally revolved around mainly blocking and doing the dirty work. NFL’s changing times have the tight ends use their athleticism, versatility, and size to their benefit.

Tight Ends: The Present of the Dynamic Offense Position

With the league and the whole NFL community celebrating ‘National Tight Ends Day’, remembering some of the best tight end players goes without saying. Tight ends like Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Shannon Sharpe, and more have done their bit to revolutionize the position. Now, it is on the fans to decode who has done their part the best. Social media, being the best place for the fans to assemble, did not delay stirring up a debate on the same.

Now, as the comments flood in from all corners of the world, let’s crackdown on some of the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) tight ends in the history of the NFL. These legends have not only adorned their team with their long list of accolades, but they have also successfully dominated the opponent teams in the field. Alongside this, these tight ends have elevated their teams to be one of the best during their era.

Who is the GOAT tight end of the league?

The comic guy, oftentimes in discussions with Skip Bayless, was once a tight end that would make the opponents’ smiles fade. Shannon Sharpe, the now-retired tight end of the league, continues to influence the games with his opinion. However, the Hall of Famer was one of the best players when he retired. Originally, Sharpe played as a wide receiver in college, as he was considered too small for a tight end. Fast forward a few years, Sharpe assisted the Broncos twice, and the Ravens once, in winning the Super Bowl as a tight end. Drafted in the seventh-round 1990 Broncos draft, Sharpe announced his retirement in 2003 as the all-time tight ends leader in receiving yards, touchdowns, and receptions.

On the other hand, there is a tight end whose calling was football, which was evident through his accolade-filled career. Tony Gonzalez also tops the charts for being the all-time leader among tight ends in receptions and receiving yards in the previous season. Interestingly, Gonzales chose football over basketball during his two sports college career. First selected by the Chiefs in the first round of the 1997 draft, Gonzales announced his retirement in 2013 after being associated with the Falcons. Between that, the tight end became a six-time First Team All-Pro selection and was also a 14-time Pro Bowler, the second-most among all players. Later in 2019, Gonzales was awarded the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

However, Antonio Gates won hearts with his story of perseverance. As someone who never played football in college, becoming one of the best tight ends was one tough journey. When Gates took a leap of faith by selecting the NFL over the NBA, he was disappointed at first, yet his patience paid off. He played 16 seasons with San Diego Chargers, before announcing his retirement in 2010. He had two 1000-yard seasons in his tenure, with most touchdown catches by tight-end (116) till his retirement. Moreover, Gates was an eight-time Pro-Bowler and three times First Team All-Pro.

Speaking of Pro Bowl selections and First Team All-Pro, Gronkowski has five and four, respectively. But Gronk is not just limited to that. In his 11 years of career with the NFL, nine seasons with the Patriots, and the final two with the Buccaneers, Gronk has earned much more than accolades. He has earned a loyal fan base. Along with Tom Brady, the tight end won four Super Bowl rings, three of them with the Patriots, and the other one with the Buccaneers. The tight end finished his career with 10,675 receiving yards, 719 receptions, and 107 touchdowns, announcing his retirement in 2022.

Moving forward to the one dating the pop sensation of Gen Z Taylor Swift, along with being the only active player on our list, is Travis Kelce. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end has already achieved numerous accomplishments in his 11-year career. Along with being the fifth tight end in the NFL to have 10,000 yards, Kelce is eight times Pro-Bowl and four times First-Team All-Pro. Kelce has numerous records as well, like most 100-yard seasons (7) and most 100-catch seasons by a tight end (3). The scary part is that Kelce shows no signs of slowing down. Well, at least he claims all the other tight-end records.

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Looking at the mind-boggling statistics of these legendary tight ends, anyone will naturally be amazed. Circling back to our debate, all these tight ends are rightful stakeholders of their nomination for the best tight end. However, it’s not the numbers that count, but how much they have influenced their fans. Who influenced you the best? Let us know in the comments below, with your favorite piece of trivia about the player.

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