NFL Top 10 Best Tight of All-Time – #7 Jason Witten
#7 – Jason Witten
This will be a little controversial. This is the all-time leader in receptions for Tight Ends and I have him outside of the top 5. You have to hear me out.
Witten made a career out of being the most prepared player on the field. That playstyle made him a Quarterbacks dream as he was always in the right spot at the right time. Just ask Tony Romo. Whether it was his impact as a blocker or as a receiver, the guy just never made mistakes.
I hate to use it against him, but he was mainly a security blanket in the receiving game. All of these players on this list have their career highlights full of ridiculous individual efforts. That just wasn’t Jason Witten. He did all of the little things right for a very long time, but was never far and away the best in the league. I respect the longevity, but his lack of wow factor leaves him off the top 5 for me.
NFL Top 10 Best Tight Ends Ever – #6 John Mackey
#6 – John Mackey
If you’re mad about the Witten ranking and immediately compare his stats to John Mackey, you have to consider the context. John Mackey played in the 1960s and 70s in a run first league and pretty much recreated the Tight End position.
Just look at the NCAA. The award they give every year for the best Tight End is called the John Mackey award and rightfully so. This man is a legend to the game. He added an element of speed never seen before to the position. His 15.8 yards per catch is something that you will not ever see in the modern day Tight End as he was far and away the best Tight End of his time.
He also has one of the greatest individual efforts ever seen on the football field which you can see here. Mackey caught the ball around the line of scrimmage and pretty much broke a tackle from every single defender on the field. A one man wrecking crew.
NFL Top 10 Best Tight Ends Ever – #5 Kellen Winslow
#5 – Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow was 6 foot 5 inches, weighed 250 pounds and ran like a receiver. It took a special coach to make use of this special talent as he became the key ingredient to Don Coryell’s “Air Coryell” offense for the Chargers.
After Winslow’s 9 year career, he held essential ever relevant record for the tight end position which have since been broken, but still holds the record for most touchdown catches in a game with 5.
He also has what is considered the greatest single game performance ever for a non-Quarterback with 13 catches, 166 receiving yards and a blocked field goal against the Dolphins who would have otherwise won.
