Happy National Tight Ends Day!
Itisaholiday.Mostpeoplehaveitcircledontheircalendarsandifyoudon’tyouareoneofthefew,solet’sgetreadytorollonthisSunday!George Kittle
The National Football League’s calendar includes many reasons to celebrate: the NFL Draft, Opening Weekend, Salute to Service, Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer, games on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and of course, the Super Bowl. The NFL also celebrates its players when they reach milestones, make big plays or make a difference in their community.
Today – the fourth Sunday in October – celebrates a group of men who do it all. A group of players who come in all shapes and sizes with different roles and responsibilities. They are relied on to protect some of the most valuable members of a team, as well as called upon to step in and lead when needed: NFL tight ends.
How did the league get to celebrating its eighth National Tight Ends Day? In Week 2 of the 2018 NFL season, the 49ers defeated the Lions with help from their tight end core of Garrett Celek of George Kittle. After an 11-yard touchdown Celek scored in the third quarter, 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo sparked the idea of this “holiday.”
Kittle told 49ers.com that “Jimmy (Garoppolo) asked, ‘What is it, like, National Tight Ends Day?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, it’s National Tight Ends Day. It’s a holiday. Tight ends all over the league are scoring touchdowns.”
For that exchange, National Tight Ends Day was born.
“A lot is expected out of us, and it’s a great honor to accept that responsibility knowing the coaches have that much trust in you to go out and handle all of those aspects at a high level. It means a lot to be a tight end,” Mo Alie-Cox, a nine-year veteran tight end with the Indianapolis Colts, said about what it means to play the position. “Shoutout to George (Kittle) and the rest of the guys who came up with the holiday. It’s a good day to get some recognition.”
Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth, who recorded a video for the Hall of Fame, talked about what it means to play the position: “Being a tight end means being (in) the best position in the whole NFL. You get to block, run, catch. It means a lot to me. I get to be a tight end every single day, especially on my (Oct. 25) birthday.”
Since 2018 on the fourth Sunday in October (though Kittle would say it’s every game), the NFL uses this “holiday” to celebrate and highlight players across the league. Players of the position are also “mic’d up” for their game, so fans can hear what goes on in the mind of a tight end throughout a game.
Arizona Cardinals tight end Elijah Higgins sums up the day this way: “Having Tight End Day, we can go out on the field and just play with a little extra swag and a little extra juice. We can go out there and have a little extra fun. To me, that is what it really is about.”
Kittle, the unofficial lead of National Tight Ends Day, has used this platform not only to celebrate those who play the position, but he also has grown it into a community. This is highlighted by the annual Tight End University (TEU). Founded in 2021 by Kittle, Travis Kelce and Greg Olsen, TEU was created bring the tight end community together for a three-day summit to bond, collaborate and learn among peers.
“With Tight End University every summer, we have gotten to know each other, and I respect all those guys so much,” Cardinals tight end Trey McBride told the Hall of Fame. “We have all worked out together and learned from each other. It makes us better, and that is what we are trying to do – to grow and elevate the tight end position. So to have a day dedicated to tight ends is really cool. I am excited to be a part of it.”
Those peers have included members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, like TONY GONZALEZ did in 2026. Gonzalez, mic in hand, took part in some on-field drills and gave his insight to the next wave of tight ends in the NFL.
Gonzalez is one of 10 tight ends who are enshrined in Canton, along with:
“To me, National Tight Ends Day is an opportunity to celebrate the guys who have made an impact on the game – past, present and future. I think about the players who paved the way for my generation,” Gates told the Hall of Fame. “You have to catch passes, block, protect the quarterback and sometimes even throw the ball. It’s special to see how the position continues to evolve, and I’m excited to see the next generation carry that legacy forward.”
Ditka, the first tight end enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, passed away Oct. 9, reminding people of his influence of the position. Some of the receiving totals he established in the early 1960s only recently have been eclipsed.
“It is only right that on this day we stop and pay homage to one of the best to play the position,” Hall of Fame tight end Kellen Winslow shared with the Hall of Fame. “Today, each and every conversation discussing or debating the tight end position should start with and end with the name Mike Ditka.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame wishes everyone a happy National Tight Ends Day and success to those who hit the field today. (And a special happy birthday to Pat Freiermuth!)
