In the second of a three part series, The Canon Review takes a look at some of the best low round NFL Draft picks over the past 30 years. This installment features the best draft finds of the 1990s, and include a Hall of Fame tight end and three quarterbacks that rose from obscurity to become Pro Bowlers, including one that led his team to the Super Bowl. So, without further adieu, here are the top draft finds in each year's NFL Draft of the 1990s.
1990: Shannon Sharpe, Tight End, Denver Broncos, Pick #192 (7th Round)
Coming out of Division II Savannah State College, Sharpe was thought to be too small for a tight end, and too slow to be a wide receiver. On the other hand, Sharpe proved to be too strong for cornerbacks to defend, and too fast for linebackers to cover. The Broncos made him a tight end, and two years later, Sharpe played in the first of eight career Pro Bowls. Sharpe would go on to play for three Super Bowl winning teams, the 1997 and 1998 Broncos and 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Sharpe finished his career with 815 catches and 10,060 yards, becoming the first tight end in NFL history to exceed the 10,000 yard plateau. Earlier this year, Sharpe was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
1991: Keenan McCardell, Wide Receiver, Washington Redskins, Pick #326 (12th Round)
McCardell actually didn't suit up for the Redskins until his last season in 2007, but the 12th Round pick from UNLV proved to be a top-notch receiver for many teams over his 16 year career. Released by the receiver-rich Redskins in 1992, McCardell landed on the Browns, and after a 56 reception season in 1995, he became a free-agent and signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. During his six year stint as a Jaguar, McCardell exceeded the 1,000 yard mark four times, and in 2002, McCardell caught two touchdowns for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl. McCardell retired in 2007, and his 883 catches ranks 14th in NFL history.
1992: Brad Johnson, Quarterback, Minnesota Vikings, Pick #227 (9th Round)
Johnson spent his college career at Florida State, backing up starter Casey Weldon. So when the Vikings picked Johnson in the ninth round, no one knew what to make of a quarterback with so little on field experience in college. Johnson spent the first two years of his career on the sideline, and didn't start a game until 1996, but he proved to be a solid quarterback and led the Vikings to a playoff berth in 1997. After an injury gave way to Randall Cunningham's remarkable 1998 season, Johnson was sent to the Washington Redskins, and in 1999, Johnson passed for over 4,000 yards as the Redskins won the NFC East. In 2001, Johnson was traded to Tampa Bay, and the very next year, Johnson was the starting quarterback on the Bucs' 2002 Super Bowl winning team. For his career, Johnson played in two Pro Bowls, threw for 166 touchdowns and 29,054 yards. Not bad for a career backup in college.
1993: Trent Green, Quarterback, San Diego Chargers, Pick #222 (8th Round)
After a decent career at Indiana University, only two players were selected after Green in the 1993 Draft, neither of which played a game in the NFL. For a while, it looked as if Green would never play in the NFL either, as he was cut by San Diego, then cut by the CFL B.C. Lions before ending up on the Washington Redskins practice squad. After an injury to Gus Frerotte early in 1998, Green stepped in for the Redskins and played admirably, throwing for over 3,000 yards and 21 touchdowns. Green signed with the St. Louis Rams after that season, but missed the 1999 season due to a knee injury suffered in pre-season. Thanks to the play of his former backup, Kurt Warner, Green was traded to Kansas City in 2001. There, he played six years and engineered a high-powered offense during his stint there. From 2003-2005, Green threw for over 4,000 yards in each season and led the Chiefs to the playoffs after the 2003 and 2005 seasons. Green retired after the 2009 season, finishing his career with 28,475 passing yards and 162 touchdowns. Green passed for 237.3 yards per game in his career, which puts him ninth in NFL history and ahead of such quarterbacks as Warren Moon, Philip Rivers, Donovan McNabb, and John Elway.
1994: Tom Nalen, Center, Denver Broncos, Pick #218 (7th Round)
The fifth-to-last pick in the 1994 Draft was used on Nalen, an undersized center from Boston College. He may not have been the biggest center, but Nalen's quickness and smarts made him the perfect center for Alex Gibbs' zone blocking scheme, and starting in 1995, Nalen blocked for six different backs that ran for over 1,000 yards in a season. Nalen was the starter on Denver's Super Bowl teams in 1997 and 1998, and for his career, Nalen played in five Pro Bowls and started 188 games. In 2009, Nalen was voted to the Denver Broncos 50th Anniversary All-Time team.
1995: Terrell Davis, Running Back, Denver Broncos, Pick #196 (6th Round)
The third Denver Broncos draft pick on this list, Davis was perhaps the most valuable member of Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl champion teams in 1997 and 1998. Coming out of Georgia, Davis was an injury-prone running back thought to be too slow. But Denver took a chance on Davis, and the move paid off right away as Davis ran for 1,117 yards in his rookie season. Over the next three years, Davis was arguably the best running back in football, and in 1998, Davis was the NFL MVP after becoming the third back in history to run for over 2,000 yards. A knee injury slowed down Davis in 1999, and he never truly recovered his previous form, but make no mistake, Davis was an impact player. For his seven year career, Davis ran for 7,607 and 60 touchdowns, and his career mark of 97.5 yards per game ranks fourth in NFL history.
1996: Zach Thomas, Linebacker, Miami Dolphins, Pick #154 (5th Round)
Thomas was a tackling machine at Texas Tech, but scouts thought that Thomas was too small and too slow to succeed as a middle linebacker in the NFL. The Dolphins took a chance on Thomas in the fifth round, and he was so impressive in training camp that coach Jimmy Johnson cut free agent acquisition Jack Del Rio and named Thomas his starting middle linebacker on opening day. Over the next 13 years, the first 12 with the Dolphins, Thomas was one of the best middle linebackers in the game. Thomas played in seven Pro Bowls and was named a first-team All-Pro five times during his career. Thomas finished his career with over 1,000 tackles, 20.5 sacks and 17 interceptions, and in 2010 the NFL named Thomas one of three middle linebackers (along with Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher) on it's 2000 All-Decade team.
1997: Jason Ferguson, Defensive Tackle, New York Jets, Pick #229 (7th Round)
Another University of Georgia product, Ferguson's draft status was put into danger after he tested positive for marijuana at the NFL Combine, but after a positive review from Jim Donnan, Jets head honcho Bill Parcells took a chance on Ferguson late in the draft. The move paid off, as Ferguson started all 16 games in his second season, and was a mainstay on the Jets' defensive line until moving to Dallas in 2005 to play for his old coach Bill Parcells. Ferguson started for three seasons in Dallas, and when Parcells became president of the Miami Dolphins in 2008, Ferguson soon followed, helping to turn around a Dolphins team that went from 1-15 in 2007 to an 11-5 record. Ferguson retired during training camp last year, finishing his career with 127 games started, 21.5 sacks and 6 forced fumbles, as well as a reputation as being a top-notch run stopper.
1998: Matt Hasselbeck, Quarterback, Green Bay Packers, Pick #187 (6th Round)
Hasselbeck had a decent but unspectacular career at Boston College when Mike Holmgren and Ron Wolf selected Hasselbeck late in the draft. Since Brett Favre was firmly in place as the Packers' quarterback, Hasselbeck sat on the bench for three years before he reunited with Holmgren after a trade to Seattle. Hasselbeck started the 2001 season as the Seahawks' starting QB, but didn't really flourish in the role until 2003, where he broke through with a season where he passed for 3,821 yards and 26 touchdowns, leading the Seahawks to the playoffs in the process. Since then, Hasselbeck has been the starting quarterback in Seattle with a great deal of success, leading his team to six postseason appearances and the Super Bowl in 2005. For his career, Hasselbeck has played in three Pro Bowls, and has completed 2,572 passes for 29,579 yards with 176 touchdowns. Hasselbeck is also the Seahawks all time leader in completions, passing yards, and completion percentage.
1999: Donald Driver, Wide Receiver, Green Bay Packers, Pick #213 (7th Round)
As it turns out, the Packers are pretty good at this draft thing. Coming out of Division 1-AA Alcorn State, Driver was the 25th receiver taken in the 1999 Draft. With the exception of Torry Holt, no receiver in that draft has more career catches, yards, and touchdown catches than Driver. Driver didn't become a starter in Green Bay until 2002, a season where he gained over 1,000 yards and made the first of three Pro Bowls. Driver continued to be the main target in the Packers' passing game, and from 2004-2009 he had a string of six consecutive 1,000 yard seasons. In 2010, Driver and his mates went on to win Super Bowl 45. Driver's 698 catches is the most in the rich history of the Green Bay Packers. He also has gained 9,615 yards and caught 53 touchdowns during his 12 year career.
Well, thanks for reading. If you have any comments about this post, than feel free to leave a comment on this blog. Also, if you have any ideas for future reviews or thoughts about the blog in general, than feel free to share those thoughts and ideas either by leaving a comment or by sending me an e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
Showing posts with label Shannon Sharpe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shannon Sharpe. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Denver Broncos vs. Green Bay Packers, October 10, 1993
The final game of The Canon Review Football Fix Weekend (and yes, I know it's not the weekend anymore, but due to connectivity issues this post was delayed a day) features two of the greatest quarterbacks of all time playing in a week 6 game from 1993 as John Elway led the Denver Broncos against Brett Favre's Green Bay Packers. The Packers got out to a quick 17-0 lead, then went into halftime leading 30-7. But John Elway and the Broncos wouldn't go away, as the Broncos got within three points before finally falling to the Pack 30-27. A few notes about this game.
- Back in 1993, Brett Favre wasn't a quarterback revered by the media for his gunslinging ways and 'playing like a kid out there'. Instead he was a talented young quarterback who had trouble handling the blitz and sometimes moved too fast for his own good. In this game, Favre was rahter inconsistent. In the first half, Favre was great, constantly finding the open man and throwing a 66 yard touchdown to tight end Jackie Harris. In the second half, Favre didn't do so well, as he threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Denver LB Mike Croel (and probably shouldn't have counted as the receiver was clearly interfered with). One pick was really bad in particular, as Favre panicked on a safety blitz and threw a wobbling duck in the air that landed in the hands of CB Le-Lo Lang that gave the ball back to the Broncos on the Green Bay 43 with just over two minutes left. I mean, as soon as Favre let go of the ball, I knew exactly what was going to happen. To be fair to Favre, he didn't have any help at all from his running game (Favre had his team's longest run with a 17 yard scamper in the first quarter), so the Broncos pretty much played the pass for most of the second half because they knew Green Bay couldn't run on them, so that may have contributed to Favre's poor second half. Also, it was refreshing to watch a game with Brett Favre in it where the announcers didn't bend over backwards trying to explain that a Favre INT was somehow the receiver's fault, as TNT announcers (yes this game was on TNT) Gary Bender and Pat Haden were fair with Favre instead of deifying him like some current announcers have done in recent seasons.
- As for the other legendary quarterback, John Elway actually set a career high for moss passes thrown in a game with 59, and most completions with 33 (although that record was later topped). It's not surprising that Elway threw so much since the Broncos trailed big early and basically spent the last three quarters in a hurry-up offense, but despite the Packers constantly playing nickel and dime packages, Elway did rather well. His favorite target during the game was WR Vance Johnson, who made his impact felt on the game with 10 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Not only that, but Johnson made two or three remarkable catches and always seemed to make the catch just when the Broncons needed another third-down conversion. Elway's legendary arm strength was on display in this one, as he threw a couple of passes that almost went through his receivers, and threw one to Johnson so fast that even though a Packer was nearly in front of him, Elway's pass somehow got through for a first down.
- The Packers came into this game 1-3 after signing the biggest free agent of all time, DE Reggie White. Before the game, the announcers stated that Reggie went to the coaching staff and told them that despite the poor start, he still felt that coming to Green Bay was the right decision. Well, good for Reggie for not panicking after his first four games of a five year contract. I mean, what did they expect him to say, that the Packers suck and he should have gone to San Francisco or Miami instead? Anyway, Reggie had a whale of a ball game here, getting three sacks and many pressures on Elway. White was lined up against Denver OT Russell Freeman all game long, and poor Russell never had a chance. When White bull-rushed, he'd go through Freeman. When White decided to go to the outside, he got by Freeman with ease. When Freeman decided to block low, White hurdled over him and still got heat on the quarterback. With less than two minutes left in the game and the Broncos just outside of field-goal range, White decided that he'd just go ahead and clinch the win himself, getting back-to-back sacks on Denver's final two plays of the game. Simply put, White was the best player on the field that night.
- Denver's defense played excellent in the second half, but in the first half they weren't so good. TE Jackie Harris particularly gave them trouble, as for the game he caught 5 passes for 128 yards and a 66-yard touchdown. Most of Harris's catches came against Denver ILB Karl Mecklenburg, a fine player in his own right but also a player that struggled to keep up with the much faster Harris. Harris was actually the perfect player for Brett Favre, a tight end with downfield speed who could also make the tough catch in the middle of the field. Instead of becoming a star in Green Bay in playing in Super Bowls, Harris decided to chase the money and signed with Tampa Bay after the 1993 season, and was really never quite as good as he was during the 1992 and 1993 seasons for the Packers, while the Packers moved on with Mark Chmura taking his spot. No offense to Chmura, but Harris was the better athlete and better pass-catcher (although Harris wasn't much of a blocker) and had Harris stayed in Green Bay, I'm willing to bet that Chmura would have either been on the bench or on another team during Green Bay's Super Bowl run.
- Denver had a couple of key plays late in the fourth quarter that went the other way against them. On third down and inside Green Bay territory with less than four minutes to go, Elway fired a pass to rookie WR Tony Kimbourgh that hit the rookie in the hands and bounced to the ground (and also led Kimbourgh straight into S Mike Prior, who creamed him). On the next play, Elway seemed to convert a fourth down with a pass to WR Derek Russell at the 25 yard line, but a false start by Freeman nullified the play and led to the Broncos punting it away. If either play goes the Broncos way, K Jason Elam more than likely kicks a field goal and takes the game into overtime, or Elway leads the Broncos to another touchdown and gets yet another comeback victory, as it looked as if the Packers' offense was so out of sync that it would be hard to imagine them scoring after blowing a 23 point lead.
- A couple of other tidbits from this game: One, two sets of brothers, the Sharpes (Sterling and Shannon), and the Widells (Doug and Dave) played against each other in the game. In fact, the announcers mentioned that the Sharpe brothers had a $20,000 bet for who would have the most catches at the end of the season. Sterling won by the way, with a total of 112 to Shannon's 81. Second, despite being in the NFL for 24 seasons, this was the Broncos' first trip to Lambeau Field. Third, John Elway and Brett Favre would only fave each other twice in their careers, the first being this game, and the second being Super Bowl XXXII, where the Broncos won 31-24.
Well, that's all for now. I think I've overdosed on football for the time being, although since there probably won't be NFL football for three years the only option I'll have is to watch classic NFL games such as this. After this game, both teams would go on to make the playoffs, with the Broncos losing to the Los Angeles Raiders in the first round and the Packers beating the Detroit Lions before falling to the Dallas Cowboys in the second round. Well, thanks for reading, and if you any ideas for future posts, or thoughts about this post, than either leave a comment on the blog or send them to me at e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
- Back in 1993, Brett Favre wasn't a quarterback revered by the media for his gunslinging ways and 'playing like a kid out there'. Instead he was a talented young quarterback who had trouble handling the blitz and sometimes moved too fast for his own good. In this game, Favre was rahter inconsistent. In the first half, Favre was great, constantly finding the open man and throwing a 66 yard touchdown to tight end Jackie Harris. In the second half, Favre didn't do so well, as he threw three interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown by Denver LB Mike Croel (and probably shouldn't have counted as the receiver was clearly interfered with). One pick was really bad in particular, as Favre panicked on a safety blitz and threw a wobbling duck in the air that landed in the hands of CB Le-Lo Lang that gave the ball back to the Broncos on the Green Bay 43 with just over two minutes left. I mean, as soon as Favre let go of the ball, I knew exactly what was going to happen. To be fair to Favre, he didn't have any help at all from his running game (Favre had his team's longest run with a 17 yard scamper in the first quarter), so the Broncos pretty much played the pass for most of the second half because they knew Green Bay couldn't run on them, so that may have contributed to Favre's poor second half. Also, it was refreshing to watch a game with Brett Favre in it where the announcers didn't bend over backwards trying to explain that a Favre INT was somehow the receiver's fault, as TNT announcers (yes this game was on TNT) Gary Bender and Pat Haden were fair with Favre instead of deifying him like some current announcers have done in recent seasons.
- As for the other legendary quarterback, John Elway actually set a career high for moss passes thrown in a game with 59, and most completions with 33 (although that record was later topped). It's not surprising that Elway threw so much since the Broncos trailed big early and basically spent the last three quarters in a hurry-up offense, but despite the Packers constantly playing nickel and dime packages, Elway did rather well. His favorite target during the game was WR Vance Johnson, who made his impact felt on the game with 10 catches for 148 yards and a touchdown. Not only that, but Johnson made two or three remarkable catches and always seemed to make the catch just when the Broncons needed another third-down conversion. Elway's legendary arm strength was on display in this one, as he threw a couple of passes that almost went through his receivers, and threw one to Johnson so fast that even though a Packer was nearly in front of him, Elway's pass somehow got through for a first down.
- The Packers came into this game 1-3 after signing the biggest free agent of all time, DE Reggie White. Before the game, the announcers stated that Reggie went to the coaching staff and told them that despite the poor start, he still felt that coming to Green Bay was the right decision. Well, good for Reggie for not panicking after his first four games of a five year contract. I mean, what did they expect him to say, that the Packers suck and he should have gone to San Francisco or Miami instead? Anyway, Reggie had a whale of a ball game here, getting three sacks and many pressures on Elway. White was lined up against Denver OT Russell Freeman all game long, and poor Russell never had a chance. When White bull-rushed, he'd go through Freeman. When White decided to go to the outside, he got by Freeman with ease. When Freeman decided to block low, White hurdled over him and still got heat on the quarterback. With less than two minutes left in the game and the Broncos just outside of field-goal range, White decided that he'd just go ahead and clinch the win himself, getting back-to-back sacks on Denver's final two plays of the game. Simply put, White was the best player on the field that night.
- Denver's defense played excellent in the second half, but in the first half they weren't so good. TE Jackie Harris particularly gave them trouble, as for the game he caught 5 passes for 128 yards and a 66-yard touchdown. Most of Harris's catches came against Denver ILB Karl Mecklenburg, a fine player in his own right but also a player that struggled to keep up with the much faster Harris. Harris was actually the perfect player for Brett Favre, a tight end with downfield speed who could also make the tough catch in the middle of the field. Instead of becoming a star in Green Bay in playing in Super Bowls, Harris decided to chase the money and signed with Tampa Bay after the 1993 season, and was really never quite as good as he was during the 1992 and 1993 seasons for the Packers, while the Packers moved on with Mark Chmura taking his spot. No offense to Chmura, but Harris was the better athlete and better pass-catcher (although Harris wasn't much of a blocker) and had Harris stayed in Green Bay, I'm willing to bet that Chmura would have either been on the bench or on another team during Green Bay's Super Bowl run.
- Denver had a couple of key plays late in the fourth quarter that went the other way against them. On third down and inside Green Bay territory with less than four minutes to go, Elway fired a pass to rookie WR Tony Kimbourgh that hit the rookie in the hands and bounced to the ground (and also led Kimbourgh straight into S Mike Prior, who creamed him). On the next play, Elway seemed to convert a fourth down with a pass to WR Derek Russell at the 25 yard line, but a false start by Freeman nullified the play and led to the Broncos punting it away. If either play goes the Broncos way, K Jason Elam more than likely kicks a field goal and takes the game into overtime, or Elway leads the Broncos to another touchdown and gets yet another comeback victory, as it looked as if the Packers' offense was so out of sync that it would be hard to imagine them scoring after blowing a 23 point lead.
- A couple of other tidbits from this game: One, two sets of brothers, the Sharpes (Sterling and Shannon), and the Widells (Doug and Dave) played against each other in the game. In fact, the announcers mentioned that the Sharpe brothers had a $20,000 bet for who would have the most catches at the end of the season. Sterling won by the way, with a total of 112 to Shannon's 81. Second, despite being in the NFL for 24 seasons, this was the Broncos' first trip to Lambeau Field. Third, John Elway and Brett Favre would only fave each other twice in their careers, the first being this game, and the second being Super Bowl XXXII, where the Broncos won 31-24.
Well, that's all for now. I think I've overdosed on football for the time being, although since there probably won't be NFL football for three years the only option I'll have is to watch classic NFL games such as this. After this game, both teams would go on to make the playoffs, with the Broncos losing to the Los Angeles Raiders in the first round and the Packers beating the Detroit Lions before falling to the Dallas Cowboys in the second round. Well, thanks for reading, and if you any ideas for future posts, or thoughts about this post, than either leave a comment on the blog or send them to me at e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Canon Review List-A-Mania: Top Ten Tight Ends in NFL History
The tight end is an important position in football. The ideal tight end must be able to block like a tackle and catch like a wide receiver. Because of that, your ideal tight end these days is about 6'4" and 250 lbs, with speed to burn. The men listed below have combined all the skills needed for the tight end position to become the best of all-time.
Honorable Mention:
Jason Witten - Witten has caught 523 passes and made six Pro Bowls and his seven year career. By the time he retires, Witten could very well end up amongst the top five greatest tight ends in NFL history, but for now, he gets an honorable mention.
Jackie Smith - Smith is a Hall of Fame tight end who combined great longevity (16 years) and has one of the highest yards per catch averages amongst tight ends (16.5). In 1967, Smith had one of the greatest years a tight end has ever had, catching 56 passes for 1,205 yards (21.5 ypc) and nine touchdowns. Ultimately, even though Smith was a heck of a player, I just felt he came up a little short.
Todd Christensen - From 1983-86, Chiristensen averaged 87 catches, 1,099 yards, and eight touchdowns. If he had one or two more years of that caliber, Christensen might be in the Hall of Fame.
10. Keith Jackson (playing career: 1988-1996) - Jackson played only eight years, but in those eight years Jackson made five Pro Bowls and was named to the NFL All-Pro team in his first three years (1988-90). In 1988, Jackson had the second best rookie season a tight end has ever had, as he caught 81 passes for 869 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson's final act wasn't too bad either, catching 10 touchdowns for the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers in 1996.
9. Dave Casper (1974-1984) - A tackle during his days at Notre Dame, Casper complemented his excellent blocking with soft hands and the ability to get deep every once in a while. Casper was named to five Pro Bowl, and made the NFL All-Pro First Team for four straight years (1976-1979). Casper finished in the top ten in the league in receptions three seasons, and in five seasons finished in the top ten in receiving touchdowns. In 1984, Casper retired with 378 catches and 52 touchdowns, numbers which helped him get elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Casper was also one of two tight ends named to the NFL's All-1970s team, the other one being this man:
8. Charlie Sanders (1968-1977) - Perhaps the game's best tight end before Casper established himself, Sanders played in seven Pro Bowls and made the NFL's All-Pro first team for three consecutive years (1969-1971) in spite of playing for a Detroit Lions team that often missed the postseason. For his career, Sanders caught 336 passes and average over 14 yards per catch, not too shabby for a tight end. His 336 catches were the most in Lions History at the time of his retirement, and only two tight ends have exceeded his seven Pro Bowl appearances. In 2007, Sanders was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
7. Mike Ditka (1961-1972) - Ditka is perhaps known more for being the head coach of the Chicago Bears in the 1980s, but Ditka was also one heck of a tight end. In his rookie season of 1961, Ditka had the best rookie season a tight end has ever had, catching 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ditka is largely credited as being the first big-time receiving threat from the tight end position, as before his arrival, the tight end was primarily utilized as a blocker. That's not to say Ditka couldn't block as well, as they didn't call him "Iron" Mike for nothing. In his first four years, Ditka finished in the top 10 in receptions each year, was named to the Pro Bowl each year, and twice was named NFL All-Pro. Ditka ended up being named to five Pro Bowls for his career, caught 427 passes and 43 touchdowns, and was a major part of two NFL Championship teams (1963 Chicago Bears and 1971 Dallas Cowboys). In 1988, Ditka was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first tight end to receive that honor, and in 1994, Ditka was one of two tight ends named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team.
6. Antonio Gates (2003-) - Gates has only played seven years, but the former college basketball player has made a huge impact in his career thus far. A six-time Pro Bowler, Gates was the NFL First-Team All-Pro tight end from 2004-2006, and has caught 479 passes and 59 touchdowns for the San Diego Chargers. Gates was recently named to the All-NFL team for the 2000s. Gates has finished in the top ten for touchdown catches in four separate seasons, and at the age of 30, Gates should have at least a couple of top-notch seasons ahead of him. For now, Gates is number six, but he could move up all the way to the top.
5. John Mackey (1963-1972) - Often considered the prototype for the modern tight end, Mackey had such speed that he was utilized as a kick returner as a rookie for the Colts in 1963. An All-NFL 1960s selection, Mackey was selected to five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro first teams. Mackey averaged over 20 yards a catch in two different seasons, and for his career averaged an impressive 15.8 yards per catch. For his career, Mackey caught 331 passes and 38 touchdowns. In 1992, Mackey became the second tight end to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and College Football's annual award for best tight end is named after John Mackey.
4. Kellen Winslow (1979-1987) - Winslow didn't have the longest career, but he definitely made his presence felt during his career. Winslow played nine seasons, three of which were cut short due to injury. In six full seasons, Winslow was selected to play in five Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro three different seasons. In a four year stretch (1980-1983), Winslow finished no lower than third in the league in receptions, and led the NFL in catches in both 1980 and 1981. During that same stretch, Winslow finished in the top ten in receiving yards three different seasons and and receiving touchdowns in four seasons. For his career, Winslow caught 541 passes for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. His accomplishments were honored in 1994 when Winslow was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary team, and in 1995 when he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Ozzie Newsome (1978-1990) - Newsome wasn't named to as many Pro Bowls as Winslow, Ditka, et al, only making three during his career. However, I feel he more than makes up for that with his numbers and consistency. When Newsome retired, no tight end in history had caught more passes (662) or gained more yards (7,980) than Ozzie Newsome. Newsome was a first team All-Pro selection twice during his career, and was a second team selection five times. At one point, Newsome caught a pass in 150 straight games and remarkably never missed a game during his 13 year career. Newsome was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 1980s, and in 1999, Newsome was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Shannon Sharpe (1990-2003) Sharpe was a decent blocker at best, but was such a dominant receiver for a long time that he deserves to be in the conversation for best tight end ever. A member of three Super Bowl winning teams (Denver Broncos 1997-98, Baltimore Ravens, 2000), Sharpe caught 50 or more passes in 11 different seasons. Sharpe's 815 catches rank 21st in NFL history, and second amongst tight ends. His 10,060 yards and 62 touchdown catches also rank second amongst all tight ends. An eight time Pro Bowler and four time first-team All-Pro, Sharpe was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 1990s, and should be elected to the Hall of Fame in the next couple of years. Sharpe was a heck of a tight end, but he's not the best.
1. Tony Gonzalez (1997-) The long-time Kansas City Chief and current Atlanta Falcon, Gonzalez has put up numbers unlike any other tight end in the history of the NFL. Gonzalez has more catches than any other tight end (999, 7th All-time), more receiving yards than any other tight end (11,807) and more touchdown catches than any other tight end (82). The ten-time Pro Bowler and five time All-Pro is still going strong, catching 83 passes and six touchdowns for the Falcons last year. The only tight end to catch more than 100 passes in a season (102 in 2004), Gonzalez has finished in the top ten in catches and in touchdown catches in four different seasons. Whenever he retires, Gonzalez should have a short wait before being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or any ideas for future posts, than send them to me either by leaving a comment or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
Honorable Mention:
Jason Witten - Witten has caught 523 passes and made six Pro Bowls and his seven year career. By the time he retires, Witten could very well end up amongst the top five greatest tight ends in NFL history, but for now, he gets an honorable mention.
Jackie Smith - Smith is a Hall of Fame tight end who combined great longevity (16 years) and has one of the highest yards per catch averages amongst tight ends (16.5). In 1967, Smith had one of the greatest years a tight end has ever had, catching 56 passes for 1,205 yards (21.5 ypc) and nine touchdowns. Ultimately, even though Smith was a heck of a player, I just felt he came up a little short.
Todd Christensen - From 1983-86, Chiristensen averaged 87 catches, 1,099 yards, and eight touchdowns. If he had one or two more years of that caliber, Christensen might be in the Hall of Fame.
10. Keith Jackson (playing career: 1988-1996) - Jackson played only eight years, but in those eight years Jackson made five Pro Bowls and was named to the NFL All-Pro team in his first three years (1988-90). In 1988, Jackson had the second best rookie season a tight end has ever had, as he caught 81 passes for 869 yards for the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson's final act wasn't too bad either, catching 10 touchdowns for the Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers in 1996.
9. Dave Casper (1974-1984) - A tackle during his days at Notre Dame, Casper complemented his excellent blocking with soft hands and the ability to get deep every once in a while. Casper was named to five Pro Bowl, and made the NFL All-Pro First Team for four straight years (1976-1979). Casper finished in the top ten in the league in receptions three seasons, and in five seasons finished in the top ten in receiving touchdowns. In 1984, Casper retired with 378 catches and 52 touchdowns, numbers which helped him get elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Casper was also one of two tight ends named to the NFL's All-1970s team, the other one being this man:
8. Charlie Sanders (1968-1977) - Perhaps the game's best tight end before Casper established himself, Sanders played in seven Pro Bowls and made the NFL's All-Pro first team for three consecutive years (1969-1971) in spite of playing for a Detroit Lions team that often missed the postseason. For his career, Sanders caught 336 passes and average over 14 yards per catch, not too shabby for a tight end. His 336 catches were the most in Lions History at the time of his retirement, and only two tight ends have exceeded his seven Pro Bowl appearances. In 2007, Sanders was elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
7. Mike Ditka (1961-1972) - Ditka is perhaps known more for being the head coach of the Chicago Bears in the 1980s, but Ditka was also one heck of a tight end. In his rookie season of 1961, Ditka had the best rookie season a tight end has ever had, catching 56 passes for 1,076 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ditka is largely credited as being the first big-time receiving threat from the tight end position, as before his arrival, the tight end was primarily utilized as a blocker. That's not to say Ditka couldn't block as well, as they didn't call him "Iron" Mike for nothing. In his first four years, Ditka finished in the top 10 in receptions each year, was named to the Pro Bowl each year, and twice was named NFL All-Pro. Ditka ended up being named to five Pro Bowls for his career, caught 427 passes and 43 touchdowns, and was a major part of two NFL Championship teams (1963 Chicago Bears and 1971 Dallas Cowboys). In 1988, Ditka was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the first tight end to receive that honor, and in 1994, Ditka was one of two tight ends named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary Team.
6. Antonio Gates (2003-) - Gates has only played seven years, but the former college basketball player has made a huge impact in his career thus far. A six-time Pro Bowler, Gates was the NFL First-Team All-Pro tight end from 2004-2006, and has caught 479 passes and 59 touchdowns for the San Diego Chargers. Gates was recently named to the All-NFL team for the 2000s. Gates has finished in the top ten for touchdown catches in four separate seasons, and at the age of 30, Gates should have at least a couple of top-notch seasons ahead of him. For now, Gates is number six, but he could move up all the way to the top.
5. John Mackey (1963-1972) - Often considered the prototype for the modern tight end, Mackey had such speed that he was utilized as a kick returner as a rookie for the Colts in 1963. An All-NFL 1960s selection, Mackey was selected to five Pro Bowls and three All-Pro first teams. Mackey averaged over 20 yards a catch in two different seasons, and for his career averaged an impressive 15.8 yards per catch. For his career, Mackey caught 331 passes and 38 touchdowns. In 1992, Mackey became the second tight end to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and College Football's annual award for best tight end is named after John Mackey.
4. Kellen Winslow (1979-1987) - Winslow didn't have the longest career, but he definitely made his presence felt during his career. Winslow played nine seasons, three of which were cut short due to injury. In six full seasons, Winslow was selected to play in five Pro Bowls and was an All-Pro three different seasons. In a four year stretch (1980-1983), Winslow finished no lower than third in the league in receptions, and led the NFL in catches in both 1980 and 1981. During that same stretch, Winslow finished in the top ten in receiving yards three different seasons and and receiving touchdowns in four seasons. For his career, Winslow caught 541 passes for 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. His accomplishments were honored in 1994 when Winslow was named to the NFL's 75th Anniversary team, and in 1995 when he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
3. Ozzie Newsome (1978-1990) - Newsome wasn't named to as many Pro Bowls as Winslow, Ditka, et al, only making three during his career. However, I feel he more than makes up for that with his numbers and consistency. When Newsome retired, no tight end in history had caught more passes (662) or gained more yards (7,980) than Ozzie Newsome. Newsome was a first team All-Pro selection twice during his career, and was a second team selection five times. At one point, Newsome caught a pass in 150 straight games and remarkably never missed a game during his 13 year career. Newsome was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 1980s, and in 1999, Newsome was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
2. Shannon Sharpe (1990-2003) Sharpe was a decent blocker at best, but was such a dominant receiver for a long time that he deserves to be in the conversation for best tight end ever. A member of three Super Bowl winning teams (Denver Broncos 1997-98, Baltimore Ravens, 2000), Sharpe caught 50 or more passes in 11 different seasons. Sharpe's 815 catches rank 21st in NFL history, and second amongst tight ends. His 10,060 yards and 62 touchdown catches also rank second amongst all tight ends. An eight time Pro Bowler and four time first-team All-Pro, Sharpe was named to the NFL's All-Decade team for the 1990s, and should be elected to the Hall of Fame in the next couple of years. Sharpe was a heck of a tight end, but he's not the best.
1. Tony Gonzalez (1997-) The long-time Kansas City Chief and current Atlanta Falcon, Gonzalez has put up numbers unlike any other tight end in the history of the NFL. Gonzalez has more catches than any other tight end (999, 7th All-time), more receiving yards than any other tight end (11,807) and more touchdown catches than any other tight end (82). The ten-time Pro Bowler and five time All-Pro is still going strong, catching 83 passes and six touchdowns for the Falcons last year. The only tight end to catch more than 100 passes in a season (102 in 2004), Gonzalez has finished in the top ten in catches and in touchdown catches in four different seasons. Whenever he retires, Gonzalez should have a short wait before being elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Thanks for reading, and if you have any thoughts about this post or any ideas for future posts, than send them to me either by leaving a comment or by e-mail at KtheC2001@gmail.com.
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