Although tight ends still have a wide range of duties, their job definitions have evolved throughout
the NFL’s existence. More than most, the reputation of this post has been impacted by evolving
passing conceptions. Here is each franchise’s best, taking into account the entire tight end
workload.
Dallas Cowboys: Jason Witten
Witten was a terrific short- and mid-range option for the Cowboys under Tony Romo, more of a
death by a thousand cuts type of tight end than a long-range game-breaker. Witten’s nine
averages of between 11 and 11.9 yards per catch highlight this consistency. Twice, in the heydays
of Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, he was named to the first team of the Pro All-Star squad. He
was the most reliable player for the Cowboys throughout a strong but ultimately unsuccessful run
of play. Together with an outstanding offensive line, Witten recorded four seasons of 1,000 yards
and helped Ezekiel Elliott and DeMarco Murray win rushing titles.
Carolina Panthers: Greg Olsen
Wesley Walls was selected for five Pro Bowls as a Panther, more than Olsen, during a time when
fewer invites were extended. The eventual FOX breakout star, Olsen, has an advantage because he
functions as Carolina’s de facto No. 1 receiver. Olsen provided Cam Newton with a consistent
presence when he was traded from the Bears shortly after the lockout ended in the summer of
2011. This included leading the Panthers’ passing attack in 2015, when the team went 15-1 and
advanced to the Super Bowl despite losing Kelvin Benjamin for the entire year. Olsen replaced
Steve Smith as the sole dependable Carolina receiver when he put together three seasons in a row
of 1,000 yards receiving, a rarity for a tight end.
Houston Texans: Owen Daniels
Although this team hasn’t produced a great tight end, Daniels is still a valuable player. In 2008,
when the AFC had both Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates, he was nominated to the Pro Bowl. In
2012, he returned with Rob Gronkowski. Daniels was Matt Schaub’s main backup to Andre
Johnson throughout the Texans’ tenure as quarterback. He reached 862 receiving yards in 2008,
surpassing the 700-yard mark three times. After spending eight seasons with Houston, Daniels
followed Gary Kubiak to Denver in 2014, where he won a Super Bowl the following year after
collecting two touchdown passes in the AFC final game.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Marcedes Lewis
Lewis’s ability to block has made history possible. The 2006 first-round pick will soon play in his
19th season for the Bears, becoming the only pure tight end in NFL history to do so. Lewis stayed
in Jacksonville for more than ten years before he persevered in Green Bay and Chicago. Lewis
spent his first twelve seasons with the Jaguars failing to find a quarterback, however he did record
a 700-yard, ten touchdown season in 2010. Lewis stayed around long enough to be a member of
the unexpected 2017 squad that made it to the brink of Super Bowl LII, which included rookie
Leonard Fournette. Lewis was a blocker for players like Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor.
Kansas City Chiefs: Travis Kelce
Tony Gonzalez, who would go on to become a pop culture icon, would be the backup if the Chiefs
selected both Kelce and Gonzalez in the same draft class. However, Kelce has been crucial to the
Chiefs’ greatest run in history. Furthermore, the former third-round selection has statistically
separated himself from the competition. Kelce, who has seven seasons with 1,000 yards or more,
is the only tight end with more than four. Kelce started out as Alex Smith’s aerial centerpiece for
the Chiefs, but he will have first-ballot Canton access now that he is Patrick Mahomes’ wingman.
Except for Jerry Rice, Kelce has scored more touchdowns (19) in postseason play than any other
player. He saved the Chiefs after they traded Tyreek Hill in 2022.
Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers: Kellen Winslow
Although Antonio Gates has the most touchdowns in NFL history (116 in his career), this is not an
especially tough choice. The Chargers built their innovative Air Coryell offenses around the
receiving skills of their tight end, Winslow, who is essentially the father of the modern tight end.
Given that Gates only played 16 seasons while Winslow played nine, this is a Jordan vs. LeBron
debate. But for five straight seasons, the Bolts dominated the NFL in passing. The main driver was
Winslow, who twice led the league in catches and had three seasons with 1,000 yards or more.
Perhaps most famously, Winslow led the Bolts to the 1981 AFC title game with a 13-catch, 166-
yard performance (completed with a blocked field goal).
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