The tight end position has been redefined over decades of NFL history, producing some of football's most dominant and versatile players. Vote for the greatest TE to ever line up in the NFL.
1Tony GonzalezStatistically the most prolific tight end in NFL history with 1,325 receptions, 15,127 receiving yards, and 111 touchdowns across 17 seasons for the Chiefs and Falcons.1000pts
2Rob GronkowskiThe New England Patriots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers icon known for his combination of dominant blocking and pass-catching, finishing with 92 touchdowns and four Super Bowl rings.875pts
3Jimmy GrahamFormer college basketball player who became a record-setting New Orleans Saints target, posting 1,310 yards in 2011 and earning five Pro Bowl selections.645pts
4Mark AndrewsThe Baltimore Ravens' multiple Pro Bowl tight end who became one of the most reliable red-zone targets in the modern NFL and Lamar Jackson's go-to weapon.575pts
5Jason WittenThe Dallas Cowboys' iron man who made 1,228 receptions for 13,046 yards across 17 seasons, earning 11 Pro Bowl selections and serving as the franchise's all-time leading receiver.575pts
6Ron KramerGreen Bay Packers tight end under Vince Lombardi whose blocking and receiving helped the club win the 1961 and 1962 NFL Championships.575pts
7Dallas ClarkIndianapolis Colts tight end and Peyton Manning favourite who caught 100 passes for 1,106 yards in 2009 and won Super Bowl XLI.534pts
8Todd HeapThe Baltimore Ravens' first star tight end, a two-time Pro Bowler who was a reliable receiving and red-zone threat across ten seasons from 2001 to 2010.534pts
9Mike DitkaThe position's first genuine superstar, whose explosive playing style for the Chicago Bears in the 1960s forever changed how coaches and fans viewed the tight end role.379pts
10Trey McBrideArizona Cardinals tight end who broke out with 111 catches in 2024, one of the highest single-season totals ever recorded at the position.379pts
11Travis KelceThe Kansas City Chiefs' record-breaking tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion, who set a position record with seven straight 1,000-yard seasons from 2016 to 2022.379pts
12Brock BowersLas Vegas Raiders tight end who set the NFL rookie receptions record in 2024 with 112 catches for 1,194 yards in his debut season.379pts
13Pete RetzlaffA five-time Pro Bowl selection for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1960s who was one of the first tight ends to be deployed primarily as a pass-catching threat.379pts
14Jackie SmithSt. Louis Cardinals tight end for 15 seasons who retired with 480 receptions and 7,918 yards, then the most at the position, and entered the Hall of Fame in 1994.312pts
15Antonio GatesA former college basketball player who became one of the NFL's most dangerous receiving tight ends, recording 116 touchdown catches — second-most ever at the position.312pts
16George KittleThe San Francisco 49ers' elite two-way tight end regarded as the best blocking tight end in the modern era alongside his dangerous receiving ability.312pts
17Heath MillerPittsburgh Steelers' sure-handed tight end for 11 seasons, a two-time Super Bowl champion whose 592 receptions are the most by a tight end in franchise history.312pts
18Zach ErtzPhiladelphia Eagles tight end who set the position's single-season catch record with 116 receptions in 2018 and caught the winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII.312pts
19Ozzie NewsomeKnown as 'The Wizard of Oz' for his sure hands with the Cleveland Browns, the Hall of Famer caught 662 passes for 7,980 yards before becoming one of the NFL's most respected executives.235pts
20Charlie SandersThe Detroit Lions great whose exceptional athleticism and hands helped pioneer the modern receiving tight end role in the 1970s, earning Hall of Fame induction in 2007.235pts
21Vernon DavisSan Francisco 49ers tight end who tied the position record with 13 touchdowns in 2009, made the 'Catch III' against New Orleans and won Super Bowl 50 with Denver.235pts
22Dave CasperA two-time Super Bowl champion with the Oakland Raiders known for his route-running precision and the famous 'Holy Roller' play, later enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.235pts
23Kellen Winslow Sr.The San Diego Chargers great who revolutionized the tight end position in the late 1970s with his receiver-first style, posting a legendary 13-catch, 166-yard game in the 1982 playoffs.235pts
24Greg OlsenThe first tight end in NFL history to record three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons, earning three Pro Bowl selections for the Carolina Panthers.146pts
25John MackeyBaltimore Colts star of the 1960s whose speed after the catch redefined the position, a Super Bowl V champion and the second tight end inducted into the Hall of Fame.146pts
26Ben CoatesNew England Patriots tight end who set a then position record with 96 catches in 1994, made five Pro Bowls and was a top target for Drew Bledsoe.0pts
27Shannon SharpeA Hall of Fame tight end and three-time Super Bowl champion who was the first player at the position to reach 10,000 receiving yards, playing for the Broncos and Ravens.0pts
28Todd ChristensenThe Raiders tight end who led the NFL in receptions twice, caught a then-record 349 passes from 1983 through 1986 and won two Super Bowls.
29Mark BavaroThe rugged Giants tight end, a two-time Pro Bowler who played on with his jaw wired shut in 1986 and won Super Bowls XXI and XXV.
Photo credits
- Tony Gonzalez — Erik Drost, CC BY 2.0
- Jimmy Graham — Jeffrey Beall, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Jason Witten — Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
- Dallas Clark — User:Manningmbd, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Todd Heap — Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Trey McBride — FanDuel, CC BY 3.0
- Brock Bowers — All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Heath Miller — Fido, CC BY 2.0
- Zach Ertz — All-Pro Reels from District of Columbia, USA, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Vernon Davis — Keith Allison from Hanover, MD, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0
- New York Giants tight end Mark Bavaro before Super Bowl XXI — Manny Rubio / Imagn Images, rights holder
