Tight End Takeover – The Stars that Shone in Week 7
By Paul Gould
Since its inception in 2019, National Tight Ends Day has divided the NFL fanbase. The cynics view it as a forced and over-hyped gimmick. But for those who believe, the fourth Sunday in October has provided an opportunity to honour the men who play this strange but glorious hybrid position.
Of all the players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, only 10 are former tight ends, the first being the late Mike Ditka in 1988 and the most recent Antonio Gates in 2025. Rob Gronkowski will almost certainly join that select group in his first year of eligibility in 2027.
That the number of HoF tight ends is so low perhaps indicates that the position has been under appreciated or less prominent than others in the game’s history, or a combination of both these factors.
But it might just be that we’re now in a ‘golden age’ for tight ends and that the current crop will produce a few more Canton-bound legends. The position has evolved significantly since Ditka’s days from a more blocking-focused role to one designed to catch passes and move the ball downfield. In the modern game, you will often see tight ends lining up as receivers and many of the top TEs are primary targets for their quarterbacks.
So, here’s a review of the Week 7 action through the lens of these magnificent athletes…
Travis Kelce – Kansas City Chiefs
It was a bittersweet National Tight Ends Day for Travis Kelce. The Chiefs succumbed to the Seahawks in a 20-3 defeat, their first loss of the season. However, on a personal level, Kelce cemented his status as an all-time great by passing a huge career milestone. Having been limited in practice due to injury, he was able to catch four passes in this game to supplant Marvin Harrison in fifth spot for the most receptions in NFL history. Interestingly, he joins two former TE’s in that illustrious quintet – Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten. Kelce is also closing in on the record set by Gonzalez, a fellow Chief, for the most all-time receiving yards by a tight end.
Kelce’s remarkable 1,103 career catches are a testament to his durability and adaptability across his 13-year career. His near telepathic connection with QB Patrick Mahomes has been the bedrock of the Chiefs dominance in the past decade and Kelce taking possession of a gold jacket in the future should be a formality.
George Kittle – San Francisco 49ers
George Kittle is widely acknowledged as having ‘founded’ National Tight Ends Day and he continues to be its most enthusiastic champion. But despite his best efforts, snagging 8 catches for 88 yards, the 2026 edition did not end well for Kittle. As was the case with Kelce and the Chiefs, Sunday saw the 49ers relinquish their unbeaten start to the season in a 29-20 loss to Atlanta. And adding insult to that metaphorical injury (as well as the many real ones currently plaguing San Francisco), Kittle’s fumble in the final minutes sealed their fate.
Kittle’s career record to date is impressive, with the 49ers TE already having notched three 1000-yard seasons, 50 touchdowns and five Pro Bowl appearances across eight years. A clear sign of his integral role in San Francisco’s offense is how much they have missed him through periods of injury. When he is available, Kittle is the mainstay of the passing game, and his dynamic athleticism allows him to be effective as both a run blocker and a deep threat.
All that’s missing from his CV is that elusive Super Bowl win.
Trey McBride – Arizona Cardinals
Quite simply, Trey McBride is incredible. Appropriately, on the auspicious occasion of National Tight Ends Day, the Cardinals TE caught his 400th career reception, the only player of his position to hit that marker in his first five seasons. He also became just the fifth player in NFL history to catch at least seven passes in nine straight games.
Unfortunately, for McBride and the Cards, his brilliant 10 catches for 111 yards and a touchdown were not enough to prevent Arizona falling to 2-5 and staring down the barrel of another losing season. That McBride has put up such eye-popping numbers whilst on a perennially struggling team is proof of just how good he is.
McBride is tough, tenacious and capable of hauling in spectacular catches. One can only hope that he gets the opportunity at some point to play the postseason football his talent deserves.
Brock Bowers – Las Vegas Raiders
Like McBride, Brock Bowers has already shown himself to be an awesome player in a short time despite being tied to a team in the doldrums. His rookie season was one of the most productive for a first-year tight end on record.
Although his numbers dipped in 2025 as the Raiders limped to a miserable 3-14 record, Bowers still flashed as an incredible playmaker capable of making catches against the tightest coverages. His pinpoint route-running, ability to create separation and yards gained after the catch are at an elite level.
On Sunday, the Rams did a good job of stifling Bowers’ threat, but No. 89 still came away with a solid 6 for 73. To get the most out of their stellar tight end, the Raiders need to add to their receiving corps so that opposing defenses must turn their attention elsewhere.
The Best of the Rest
Although playing on Thursday Night ahead of National Tight Ends Day, the Bears’ Colston Loveland deserves a mention for another productive performance that adds to his growing reputation. Loveland posted figures of 7 for 69 and a touchdown in Chicago’s win over the Patriots and the second-year man has already become a favourite target for QB Caleb Williams.
Alongside Loveland, the NFC North is stacked with top-draw tight ends. On Sunday, two went head-to-head as the Lions hosted the Packers. The Lions won a dramatic contest 20-17 but it was the Packers’ Tucker Kraft who won the battle of the tight ends, snaring a touchdown and a further three receptions for 48 total receiving yards. Returning from an ACL injury that cut short a promising 2025 season, Kraft appears to be back to his best.
Meanwhile, the Lions’ Sam LaPorta is in the middle of a contract dispute that threatens to overshadow his campaign. LaPorta had just one reception in this game and Detroit fans must be hoping that a deal can be reached to retain the services of their talented tight end.
TE TJ Hockenson helped the Minnesota Vikings protect the sole remaining unbeaten record this season with some nifty footwork and body manipulation to reach the ball over the pylon for a touchdown in the win over the Colts. Hockenson has had a quiet season thus far, with just one big game against the Dolphins in Week 5, but he has proven a dependable target in his eight-year career, shared equally between the Vikings and Lions.
The Bengals fully embraced National Tight Ends Day with two TE’s recording touchdowns in their second half romp over the Ravens. Mike Gesicki got in the endzone for the fourth game in a row and Drew Sample caught his first TD of the campaign.
Davis Allen is the L.A Rams third-string tight end but he celebrated the big day in style with a pair of touchdowns against the Raiders. That feat was matched by the Jets’ Mason Taylor who finished with 5 catches for 62 yards and his two scores.
Kyle Pitts was drafted fourth overall in 2021, the highest position a tight end has ever been taken. However, despite an impressive 1000-yard rookie season, Pitts has largely struggled to live up to the hype that surrounded his emergence into the league. But the Atlanta TE quietly had a strong 2025 and has begun this year with four touchdowns, the latest coming in the Falcons big win over the 49ers on Sunday.
The Browns improved to 5-2 with their win in Tennessee and second-year tight end Harold Fannin Jnr. played a significant part with a big catch and run to set up the game-clinching field goal as time expired. Fannin Jnr. enjoyed a good rookie year and looks on pace to emulate that performance this season as Cleveland’s surprise success continues.
Pittsburgh possesses the biggest TE in the league in the form of man-mountain Darnell Washington. The 6-7 264-pound tight end caught just one pass for four yards in Paris, but it was for a vital touchdown in a 16-10 victory against the Saints and it showcased Washington’s strength which makes him so hard to stop.
And my final honourable mention goes to Dalton Kincaid who was unable to participate in National Tight Ends Day as the Buffalo Bills were on their bye week. Kincaid has established himself in the upper echelons of the league’s tight end corps despite missing significant game time through injury. When healthy, he has performed at a high level and is particularly dangerous on deep routes. The Bills will be keen to keep him on the field as they continue their Super Bowl bid in 2026.
PAUL GOULD
NFL ANALYST
A freelance writer and editor based in Cambridgeshire, Paul has avidly followed the NFL since the late 1980’s and spends much of his spare time wondering if he’ll ever see the Raiders play in a Super Bowl again.
