Whether clearing space for the ground-based attacks of the early days or carving out room in the middle of the field for the air-centric 2000s, tight end has been an important piece of the NFL’s most prolific offenses. A position tasked with blocking at the line of scrimmage and escaping upfield to create bigger gains requires gifted athletes who combine speed and size and don’t mind doing a little dirty work in the trenches.
Some franchises have had multiple Hall of Fame talents walk through the home tunnel and onto their turf. Others have cycled through short-term rentals while devoting their offensive focus elsewhere. That becomes pretty apparent when you cycle through our list of the best tight ends to play for all 32 NFL franchises.
