Celebrating Hall of Fame tight ends on National Tight Ends Day
Hall of Famers
Published on : 10/22/2023
In Week 2 of the 2018 NFL regular season, the San Francisco 49ers took down the Detroit Lions – a normal NFL game, right?
Wrong.
Up and down the 49ers sideline, tight end George Kittle proclaimed to his teammates that it was “National Tight Ends Day; it’s a holiday!” That day, teammate and fellow tight end Garrett Celek scored a touchdown in the third quarter, helping San Francisco to a 30-27 victory.
On Oct. 27, 2019, the NFL celebrated the first official National Tight Ends Day, creating a league-wide festivity. With the Week 7 “holiday” upon us, the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates the tight ends who have received a Gold Jacket.
From first-round draft picks, like MIKE DITKA and KELLEN WINSLOW, to late-round steals SHANNON SHARPE and JACKIE SMITH, all nine tight ends enshrined in Canton separated themselves as the greatest of the game at their position.
The all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards for a tight end, TONY GONZALEZ, established a precedent for how to play the position. Before Gonzelez, OZZIE NEWSOME sat atop the record books, playing in an era that did not feature tight ends as predominantly in the passing attack.
JOHN MACKEY was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team, while both DAVE CASPER and CHARLIE SANDERS were recognized on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s.
Short bios for the nine tight ends in the Hall of Fame:
DAVE CASPER, CLASS OF 2002: Raiders’ second-round draft pick, 1974 … Nicknamed “The Ghost,” earned starting tight end spot in 1976, finished season with impressive 53 catches for 691 yards, 10 touchdowns … Named All-Pro and All-AFC four consecutive years, 1976-1979 … Outstanding blocker as well as receiver … Career record: 378 receptions, 5,216 yards, 52 touchdowns … Named to five Pro Bowls
MIKE DITKA, CLASS OF 1998: Consensus All-American, 1960 … Bears’ first-round pick, 1961 … First tight end elected to Hall … Fast, rugged, outstanding blocker, great competitor … Big-play star of Bears’ 1963 title team … Scored final touchdown in Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI win … Rookie of the Year, 1961 … All-NFL four years, in five consecutive Pro Bowls … Career record: 427 receptions, 5,812 yards, 43 TDs
TONY GONZALEZ, CLASS OF 2019: First-round pick (13th overall) in the 1997 NFL by Kansas City Chiefs … Made immediate impact as rookie … Never caught fewer than 59 passes in a season other than his rookie year … Traded to Falcons, 2009 … At time of retirement ranked second in career receptions (1,325), most seasons with 50 or more receptions (16) and most consecutive games with a reception (211)
JOHN MACKEY, CLASS OF 1992: Second-round draft pick, 1963 … Prototype tight end with breakaway speed, ability to avoid tackles, strong blocker … Long-distance threat who scored six TDs over 50 yards, 1966 … Caught deflected pass for 75-yard TD in Super Bowl V … Career record: 331 catches, 5,236 yards, 38 TDs … Three-time All-NFL, played in five Pro Bowls … Second tight end to enter Hall
OZZIE NEWSOME, CLASS OF 1999: Browns’ first-round draft pick, 1978 … Nicknamed “Wizard of Oz” … Became instant team leader … Retired as all-time leading tight end receiver, fourth among all receivers … Career stats: 662 receptions 7,980 yards, 47 TDs … Recorded career-best 89 catches in 1983, repeated feat in 1984 … Caught pass in 150 consecutive games … All-Pro, 1979, 1984 … Named to three Pro Bowls
CHARLIE SANDERS, CLASS OF 2007: Third-round pick by Lions, 1968 … Combined great leaping ability, big hands, strength, speed and elusiveness … Seven Pro Bowls … All-NFL three consecutive seasons … Recorded 30 or more receptions seven times, 500-plus receiving yards six seasons … Lions’ all-time reception leader (336) at time of retirement … Team’s leader or co-leader in receptions six of his 10 seasons … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s
SHANNON SHARPE, CLASS OF 2011: Selected by Broncos in the seventh round (192nd player overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft … At time of retirement, his 815 career receptions and 10,060 yards and 62 TDs were all NFL career records for a tight end … First- or second-team All-Pro honors five times and first- or second-team All-AFC honors six times … Selected to eight Pro Bowls … Integral part of Broncos Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII and Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championships
JACKIE SMITH, CLASS OF 1994: 10th-round draft pick, 1963 … Talented receiver, punishing blocker, fierce competitor, excellent runner … Played in five Pro Bowls, 1967-1971 … All-NFL, 1967, 1969 … Had 40 or more catches in seven seasons … Played in 210 games … Leading tight end receiver at retirement with 480 receptions, 7,918 yards, 40 TDs … Played in Super Bowl XIII with Cowboys
KELLEN WINSLOW, CLASS OF 1995: Chargers first-round draft pick, 1979 … Became premier tight end of his era … Had 89 catches, 1980 … Also had two 88-reception seasons, 1981, 1983 … Had 13 catches, blocked field goal in 1981 playoff win over Miami … Consensus All-Pro, 1980, 1981, 1982 … All-AFC four times … Played in five Pro Bowls … Career record: 541 receptions, 6,741 yards, 45 TDs
Wrong.
Up and down the 49ers sideline, tight end George Kittle proclaimed to his teammates that it was “National Tight Ends Day; it’s a holiday!” That day, teammate and fellow tight end Garrett Celek scored a touchdown in the third quarter, helping San Francisco to a 30-27 victory.
Your favorite player's favorite holiday... #NationalTightEndsDay is officially back.
— NFL (@NFL) October 22, 2023
Let's get it pic.twitter.com/3HTyjYrJ7K
On Oct. 27, 2019, the NFL celebrated the first official National Tight Ends Day, creating a league-wide festivity. With the Week 7 “holiday” upon us, the Pro Football Hall of Fame celebrates the tight ends who have received a Gold Jacket.
From first-round draft picks, like MIKE DITKA and KELLEN WINSLOW, to late-round steals SHANNON SHARPE and JACKIE SMITH, all nine tight ends enshrined in Canton separated themselves as the greatest of the game at their position.
The all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards for a tight end, TONY GONZALEZ, established a precedent for how to play the position. Before Gonzelez, OZZIE NEWSOME sat atop the record books, playing in an era that did not feature tight ends as predominantly in the passing attack.
JOHN MACKEY was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team, while both DAVE CASPER and CHARLIE SANDERS were recognized on the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s.
More about the tight ends in the Hall of Fame
Short bios for the nine tight ends in the Hall of Fame:DAVE CASPER, CLASS OF 2002: Raiders’ second-round draft pick, 1974 … Nicknamed “The Ghost,” earned starting tight end spot in 1976, finished season with impressive 53 catches for 691 yards, 10 touchdowns … Named All-Pro and All-AFC four consecutive years, 1976-1979 … Outstanding blocker as well as receiver … Career record: 378 receptions, 5,216 yards, 52 touchdowns … Named to five Pro Bowls
MIKE DITKA, CLASS OF 1998: Consensus All-American, 1960 … Bears’ first-round pick, 1961 … First tight end elected to Hall … Fast, rugged, outstanding blocker, great competitor … Big-play star of Bears’ 1963 title team … Scored final touchdown in Cowboys’ Super Bowl VI win … Rookie of the Year, 1961 … All-NFL four years, in five consecutive Pro Bowls … Career record: 427 receptions, 5,812 yards, 43 TDs
TONY GONZALEZ, CLASS OF 2019: First-round pick (13th overall) in the 1997 NFL by Kansas City Chiefs … Made immediate impact as rookie … Never caught fewer than 59 passes in a season other than his rookie year … Traded to Falcons, 2009 … At time of retirement ranked second in career receptions (1,325), most seasons with 50 or more receptions (16) and most consecutive games with a reception (211)
JOHN MACKEY, CLASS OF 1992: Second-round draft pick, 1963 … Prototype tight end with breakaway speed, ability to avoid tackles, strong blocker … Long-distance threat who scored six TDs over 50 yards, 1966 … Caught deflected pass for 75-yard TD in Super Bowl V … Career record: 331 catches, 5,236 yards, 38 TDs … Three-time All-NFL, played in five Pro Bowls … Second tight end to enter Hall
OZZIE NEWSOME, CLASS OF 1999: Browns’ first-round draft pick, 1978 … Nicknamed “Wizard of Oz” … Became instant team leader … Retired as all-time leading tight end receiver, fourth among all receivers … Career stats: 662 receptions 7,980 yards, 47 TDs … Recorded career-best 89 catches in 1983, repeated feat in 1984 … Caught pass in 150 consecutive games … All-Pro, 1979, 1984 … Named to three Pro Bowls
CHARLIE SANDERS, CLASS OF 2007: Third-round pick by Lions, 1968 … Combined great leaping ability, big hands, strength, speed and elusiveness … Seven Pro Bowls … All-NFL three consecutive seasons … Recorded 30 or more receptions seven times, 500-plus receiving yards six seasons … Lions’ all-time reception leader (336) at time of retirement … Team’s leader or co-leader in receptions six of his 10 seasons … Named to NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1970s
SHANNON SHARPE, CLASS OF 2011: Selected by Broncos in the seventh round (192nd player overall) of the 1990 NFL Draft … At time of retirement, his 815 career receptions and 10,060 yards and 62 TDs were all NFL career records for a tight end … First- or second-team All-Pro honors five times and first- or second-team All-AFC honors six times … Selected to eight Pro Bowls … Integral part of Broncos Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII and Ravens Super Bowl XXXV championships
JACKIE SMITH, CLASS OF 1994: 10th-round draft pick, 1963 … Talented receiver, punishing blocker, fierce competitor, excellent runner … Played in five Pro Bowls, 1967-1971 … All-NFL, 1967, 1969 … Had 40 or more catches in seven seasons … Played in 210 games … Leading tight end receiver at retirement with 480 receptions, 7,918 yards, 40 TDs … Played in Super Bowl XIII with Cowboys
KELLEN WINSLOW, CLASS OF 1995: Chargers first-round draft pick, 1979 … Became premier tight end of his era … Had 89 catches, 1980 … Also had two 88-reception seasons, 1981, 1983 … Had 13 catches, blocked field goal in 1981 playoff win over Miami … Consensus All-Pro, 1980, 1981, 1982 … All-AFC four times … Played in five Pro Bowls … Career record: 541 receptions, 6,741 yards, 45 TDs
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