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(Opens in a new window) and KELLEN WINSLOW,(Opens in a new window) to late-round steals SHANNON SHARPE(Opens in a new window) and JACKIE SMITH,(Opens in a new window) 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,(Opens in a new window) established a precedent for how to play the position. Before Gonzelez, OZZIE NEWSOME(Opens in a new window) sat atop the record books, playing in an era that did not feature tight ends as predominantly in the passing attack.

JOHN MACKEY(Opens in a new window) was named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s and the NFL 100 All-Time Team, while both DAVE CASPER(Opens in a new window) and CHARLIE SANDERS(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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:(Opens in a new window) 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