The debate rages on where Rob Gronkowski ranks among tight ends in NFL history. The truth is he is one of the best and whether first, fifth or ninth no one can take anything away from the former New England Patriots star. Oh, and there eventually will be a place or home for Travis Kelce in this list should he keep doing what he does.
15. Jerry Smith
In 12-plus years as a Washington Redskin, Jerry Smith proved more than dependable. He quietly went about building a career resume that saw him grab 421 passes for 5,496 yards and 60 touchdowns. A star at the position.
14. Greg Olsen
In 12 seasons with Chicago and Carolina, Greg Olsen has caught 666 passes. While injuries have derailed his last two seasons, he remains a favorite target of Cam Newton. Whether Olsen continues his playing career or heads to the broadcast booth, he is a likely Hall of Famer.
13. Jackie Smith
Jackie Smith is best remembered for the drop as Cowboy in the Super Bowl. Unfortunate and unfair to a tight end who played 15 of his 16 seasons as a St. Louis Cardinal. Smith averaged 16.5 yards per grab on his 480 catches.
12. Dave Casper
The famed Holy Roller that changed the rules of fumbles wound up in Dave Casper’s hands. A lot of balls did, as the Raiders tight end caught 255 of his 378 career passes in the Silver and Black.
11. Charlie Sanders
A 6-foot-4, 225-pound tight end out of Minnesota, Charlie Sanders had the gift of grab for the Detroit Lions in 10 seasons. The seven-time Pro Bowler starred with 336 catches, 4,817 yards, and 31 TDs.
10. Russ Francis
Another New England Patriots tight end who had a stellar career is Russ Francis. The 6-foot-6, 240-pounder caught nearly 400 passes and 40 touchdowns in a 14-year career.
9. Jason Witten
Out of the booth and back on the field in 2019, as Jason Witten returns to what he does best: playing tight end. Everyone isn’t cut out to be a broadcaster and most people aren’t built to play the position of tight end with the greatness of Witten. He’ll be adding to his numbers of 1,152 catches, 12,448 yards), and 68 TDs and Cowboys fans will be thrilled.
8. Ozzie Newsome
A brilliant tight end who went on to be a sensational executive, Ozzie Newsome moved from Alabama to the NFL and lit it up. The 6-foot-2, 232-pounder caught 662 balls for 7,980 yards and 47 scores. A genuine gem.
7. Antonio Gates
One of two Chargers on the list of TE greats, Antoinio Gates transformed himself from a college basketball player into a magnificent NFL star. The eight-time Pro Bowler has 955 career catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs.
6. Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow put on one of the most memorable performances in NFL history in the Chargers’ OT win over the Dolphins on Jan. 2, 1982. Winslow played nine seasons, all for San Diego, and made 541 grabs.
5. Rob Gronkowski
As unique and talented a personality as the NFL has seen, Rob Gronkowski is a three-time Super Bowl champion who caught 521 passes for better than 7,800 yards and touchdowns. Recency bias makes people debate whether he was the greatest TE, however, his accolades are deserved.
4. Shannon Sharpe
Getty ImagesA player who worked hard and busted it to make it to the NFL. Nothing was given to Shannon Sharpe, who became a Hall of Famer after being a seventh round draft pick out of Savannah State. A physical specimen unlike many others in the game, Sharpe caught 815 passes for more than 10,000 yards.
3. Tony Gonzalez
The 2019 Hall of Famer, Tony Gonzalez played 17 years and had 1,325 receptions for 15,127 yards and 111 touchdowns. Having played basketball and football at Cal, he was blessed with an athleticism that made him a target his quarterbacks loved for find.
2. Mike Ditka
A force whether as a player or coach. Mike Ditka was another person who changed the way tight ends were used in the NFL. In 12 seasons, he had 427 receptions, 43 that went for scores. A beast to tackle and one no one wanted to get in the way of whether he was blocking or receiving.
1. John Mackey
The player who single-handedly defined the role of tight end. John Mackey was an incredible force for the Baltimore Colts. The five-time Pro Bowler In 10 seasons, nine in Baltimore and one with San Diego, Mackey had 331 catches and turned the tight end into a threat all over the field. Fittingly, the college football award for the best tight end is the John Mackey Award. The tight ends that followed would not have had the same careers had it not been for the glass ceiling Mackey shattered.
