Editing Tight end

{{Short description|Position in American football}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
[[File:Cole Holcomb chasing Travis Kelce OCT2021.jpg|alt=Chiefs superstar TE Travis Kelce|thumb|250x250px|[[Travis Kelce]], a tight end for the [[Kansas City Chiefs]], in the open field]]
[[File:Football-Formation-TE.svg|thumb|250px|Example of tight end positioning in an offensive formation.]]

The '''tight end''' ('''TE''') is an [[offense (sports)|offensive]] position in [[American football]], [[arena football]], and [[Canadian football]]. It is a hybrid that combines the characteristics and roles of both an [[offensive line]]man and a [[receiver (football)|receiver]]. As part of the receiver corps, they play inside the flanks (tight), contrasted with the [[split end]] who plays outside the flanks (wide). Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be effective blockers. On the other hand, unlike offensive linemen, they are [[eligible receiver]]s and potent weapons in a team's offensive schemes.

The tight end's role in any given offense depends on the preferences and philosophy of the [[head coach]], [[offensive coordinator]], and overall team dynamic. In some systems, the tight end will merely act as a sixth offensive lineman, rarely going out for passes. Other systems use the tight end primarily as a receiver, frequently taking advantage of the tight end's size to create mismatches in the [[defensive secondary]]. Many coaches will often have one tight end who specializes in blocking on running plays while using a tight end with better pass-catching skills in passing situations.

Offensive formations may have as few as zero or as many as three tight ends at one time.

NFL tight ends in 2024 make an average of $8 million per year; some of the top tight ends make around $17 million per year. This position is amongst the lowest paid in the NFL.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Overthecap.com |title=Tight end Contracts and Salaries |url=https://overthecap.com/position |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=Over the Cap |language=en-US}}</ref>

==History==
===Origins===
[[File:GA VS LSU E101318 85.jpg|thumb|right|250px|[[LSU Tigers football|LSU Tigers]] tight end [[Foster Moreau]] (''right'') lining up on the end of the [[offensive line]] before a snap during a game in 2018]]
The advent of the tight end position is closely tied to the decline of the [[one-platoon system]] during the 1940s and '50s. Originally, substitutions were limited by rule, forcing players to be adept on both sides of the ball, with most offensive linemen doubling as defensive linemen or linebackers, and running backs and receivers doubling as defensive backs.

With the relaxation of substitution rules in professional football from the 1940s and after 1964 in the college game, a [[two-platoon system]] of offense and defense became the norm, with most players active on only one side of the ball. With the advent of the [[T-formation]], double [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]] sets quickly became a thing of the past, with a hybrid running back–receiver known as the "flanker back" positioned outside The halfback and fullback, "flanking" them. The receivers on each end of the line of scrimmage retained their historic name, [[End (American football)|"ends"]].

[[File:Rob Gronkowski 20131201.jpg|thumb|left|At 6'6" and 265 lbs., [[New England Patriots]] tight end [[Rob Gronkowski]], a four-time first-team [[All-Pro]], was large even by contemporary standards.]]

By the start of the 1960s many pro clubs had begun to position the flanker back far to the outside, just behind the line of scrimmage, part of what [[Washington Redskins]] coach [[Bill McPeak]] characterized as a "three ends" system.<ref name=Skins>"Washington Redskins: All Will Be Bright and Shiny — Except After Kickoffs," ''Pro Football 1961.'' New York: Fawcett Publications, 1961; p. 35.</ref> The receiver spread out on numerically inferior "weak" side of the formation was commonly known as the "split end"; the end lining up to the same side as the flanker, positioned close to the blocking linemen, became known as the "tight end".<ref name=Skins /> This tight end position, developed in the 1950s, embraced both blocking and receiving functions and flourished as part of the specialization of the two-platoon era.

Greater use of the tight end as a receiver in the cutting edge offenses of the 1960s led to the emergence of the first stars at the position, including [[Mike Ditka]] of the [[Chicago Bears]], [[Jackie Smith]] of the [[St. Louis Cardinals (NFL)|St. Louis Cardinals]], and [[John Mackey (American football)|John Mackey]] of the [[Baltimore Colts]].

===The modern position===
Even with the emergence of star tight ends as receivers, the rush-heavy offenses of the 1960s through the early 1980s NFL saw tight ends continue to remain primarily blockers lined up next to an offensive tackle and given short to medium [[drag route]]s.<ref name=jaworski2010p92>{{cite book |last=Jaworski |first=Ron |title=The Games That Changed the Game: The Evolution of the NFL in Seven Sundays |page=92 |year=2010 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0-345-51795-1 |ref=Jaworski |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/gamesthatchanged00jawo/page/92 }}</ref>  Starting in 1980, the [[Air Coryell]] offense began using tight end [[Kellen Winslow]] in wide receiver-type routes.  Winslow was lined up wide, in the slot against a smaller [[cornerback]], or put in motion to avoid being jammed at the line.<ref>[[#Jaworski|Jaworski 2010]], p.81.</ref>  Defenses would cover him with either a [[strong safety]] or a [[linebacker]], because [[Zone defense in American football|zone defense]]s were less popular.<ref>[[#Jaworski|Jaworski 2010]], p.93</ref> Strong safeties in those times also were favored for their run defense over coverage speed. Providing them another defender to help cover Winslow opened up holes for other receivers.<ref>[[#Jaworski|Jaworski 2010]], pp.93–94</ref> Winslow would line up unpredictably in any formation, variously in a [[three-point stance|three point]] blocking stance, [[two-point stance|two point]] receiver's stance, or put in motion like a flanker or offensive back.<ref name=jaworski2010p112/> 2000s Head coach [[Jon Gruden]] referred to such multi-dimensional tight ends as "jokers", calling Winslow the first ever in the NFL.<ref name="jaworski2010p112" /><ref>{{cite news|last=George|first=Thomas|title=The Indispensable Tight End Is Making His Presence Felt|date=September 29, 2002|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/29/sports/pro-football-inside-nfl-indispensable-tight-end-making-his-presence-felt.html?pagewanted=all|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130130112718/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/29/sports/pro-football-inside-nfl-indispensable-tight-end-making-his-presence-felt.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm|archive-date=January 30, 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Patriots head coach [[Bill Belichick]] notes that the pass-catching tight ends that get paid the most are "all direct descendants of Kellen Winslow", and there are fewer tight ends now that can block on the line.<ref name=jaworski2010p112>[[#Jaworski|Jaworski 2010]], p.112</ref>

In the 1990s, [[Shannon Sharpe]]'s athletic prowess as a route-runner helped change the way tight ends were used by teams. Consistently double-covered as a receiver, he became the first tight end in NFL history to rack up over 10,000 career receiving yards. [[Tony Gonzalez]] and [[Antonio Gates]], who both played basketball in college, pushed the position toward wide receiver speed and [[power forward (basketball)|power forward]] strength and wingspan.<ref>{{cite news |last=Battista |first=Judy |title=New Breed of Tight End Is Unchecked So Far |date=January 17, 2012 |newspaper=The New York Times |page=B9 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/football/rise-of-new-breed-of-tight-end-goes-unchecked-so-far.html?pagewanted=all |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911032956/http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/17/sports/football/rise-of-new-breed-of-tight-end-goes-unchecked-so-far.html?_r=2&ref=football&pagewanted=all |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> At 6'6" [[Rob Gronkowski]] brought height, setting single-season tight end records in 2011 with 17&nbsp;touchdowns—breaking Gates's and [[Vernon Davis]]'s record of 13—and 1,327 receiving yards, surpassing Winslow's record of 1,290.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ridenour |first=Marla |title=Playoffs showcase Browns' lack of big-play tight end |date=January 16, 2012 |newspaper=Akron Beacon Journal |url=http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/16/4192152/playoffs-showcase-browns-lack.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120120221231/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/16/4192152/playoffs-showcase-browns-lack.html |archive-date=January 20, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Jimmy Graham]] that season also passed Winslow with 1,310 yards.<ref>{{cite news |last=Flori |first=Mike |title=Graham, Gronkowski go back and forth with tight end yardage mark |publisher=NBC Sports |date=January 1, 2012 |url=http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/01/graham-gronkowski-go-back-and-forth-with-tight-end-yardage-mark/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120108000200/http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/01/graham-gronkowski-go-back-and-forth-with-tight-end-yardage-mark/ |archive-date=January 8, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Six of the NFL's 15 players with the most receptions that year were tight ends, the most in NFL history. Previous seasons usually had at most one or two ranked in the top.<ref>{{cite news |last=Darlington |first=Jeff |title=Ever-evolving tight end position truly changing the game |date=February 2, 2012 |work=NFL.com |url=http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/09000d5d8268ceee/article/everevolving-tight-end-position-truly-changing-the-game?module=HP11_cp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205191745/http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/story/09000d5d8268ceee/article/everevolving-tight-end-position-truly-changing-the-game?module=HP11_cp |archive-date=February 5, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Tight ends generally hit their peak between the ages of 25 and 30.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Peak Age For an NFL Tight End |url=https://apexfantasyleagues.com/peak-age-nfl-tight-end/|website=Apex Fantasy Leagues|date=April 10, 2023 }} A study conducted by Apex Fantasy Leagues indicated 69.1 percent of peak seasons fall within that range.</ref>

===Tight ends in other leagues===
In the [[Arena Football League]] the tight end serves as the 3rd offensive lineman (along with the center and guard). Although they are eligible receivers they rarely go out for passes and are usually only used for screen passes when they do.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

However, in Canadian football, tight ends are, in general, no longer used professionally in the [[Canadian Football League|CFL]], but are still used at the college level in [[U Sports]].{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} [[Tony Gabriel]] is a former tight end in Canadian football. There remain some tight ends in use at [[U Sports football|university level football]]; [[Antony Auclair]], formerly a tight end for the [[Laval Rouge et Or]], was a contender to be selected in the [[2017 CFL Draft]] or possibly receive a tryout in the NFL.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2017/04/03/mock-2-0-ankou-senior-jump-charts/|title=Mock 2.0: Ankou, Senior jump up the charts - CFL.ca|date=April 3, 2017|website=cfl.ca}}</ref> He was drafted by the CFL's [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] in 2017, but instead signed with the NFL's [[Tampa Bay Buccaneers]] as an undrafted free agent that same year.

===National Tight Ends Day===
Since 2019, the NFL celebrates National Tight Ends Day on the fourth weekend of October to highlight tight ends in the league.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Molski |first1=Max |title=What is National Tight Ends Day? History of NFL holiday |url=https://www.nbcsportsbayarea.com/nfl/san-francisco-49ers/what-is-national-tight-ends-day-history-of-nfl-holiday/1437451/ |publisher=NBC Sports Bay Area |access-date=October 28, 2023 |date=October 23, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=McCarriston |first1=Shanna |title=NFL celebrates National Tight Ends Day with rap song, custom shirts, celebrity shoutouts |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/nfl-celebrates-national-tight-ends-day-with-rap-song-custom-shirts-celebrity-shoutouts/ |work=CBS Sports |access-date=October 28, 2023 |date=October 22, 2023}}</ref>

==Roles==
[[File:Jimmy Graham 2014 Pro Bowl.jpg|thumb|160px|At 6'7", 265 lbs., [[Jimmy Graham]], shown here playing in the [[Pro Bowl]] during his time with the [[New Orleans Saints]], demonstrates the athleticism of a tight end in its role as a receiver.]]

Tight ends have two primary roles: (1) act as a blocker and (2) act as a receiver. Very occasionally, a tight end is also given the opportunity to rush with the ball. This typically happens when they are put in motion before the ball is snapped.

===Blocking===
In the National Football League ([[NFL]]), the tight end is larger, stronger, and slower than a [[wide receiver]], and therefore able to block more effectively.<ref>[http://football.calsci.com/Positions3.html Football 101: Tight Ends and Quarterbacks] by Mark Lawrence. Retrieved February 25, 2010.</ref> Among offensive ball-handlers, it is the job of the tight end, along with the [[fullback (American football)|fullback]], to block for both running backs and receivers. Tight ends are used as blockers to protect the quarterback during passing plays, to open holes in the line, and downfield to tie up linebackers and defensive backs.

Historically, a single tight end was used, typically placed on the right side of the offensive line.  In the early 2000s, two tight end formations began to be used with more frequency.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060922010438/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/nunyo_demasio/09/19/parcells/index.html Double trouble: Cowboys' Parcells jumping on two-tight-end trend], September 20, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2010.</ref><ref>[http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2006/10/20/ramblings/too-deep-zone/4412/ Too Deep Zone: Running with Multiple Tight Ends] by Mike Tanier, October 20, 2006. Retrieved February 25, 2010.</ref> Specialty plays may deploy 3- or 4-tight-end sets in "heavy" or "jumbo" packages, usually to block in short-yardage situations or to sow confusion in the defensive backfield with such an unusual formation.  When a blocker larger than a tight end is desired without sacrificing the player's ability to catch a pass the position is sometimes filled by an offensive lineman who reports to the referee that he is an eligible receiver, referred to colloquially as a "tackle eligible".

===Receiving===
Historically, the primary role of a tight end was blocking, with strategic use as a receiver.  Over time the emphasis of offense has shifted from running to passing, and with it the role of the tight end as a receiver expanded.  The tight end is usually faster than the linebackers who cover him and often stronger than the cornerbacks and safeties who try to tackle him. In general, there is an inherent trade-off between a tight end's speed and agility and their size, meaning more mobile tight ends tend not to be as effective as blockers.  This results in great premiums being placed on tight ends who can fill both roles effectively.  When a team cannot find both in a single player they often rotate between those who are stronger in one role better than the other depending on the type of skill required by given plays.

At the extreme end the receiving spectrum are 'hybrid' tight ends that are drafted primarily for their pass-catching abilities.  Often, these players have near-[[wide receiver]] speed, coupled with greater overall size and strength.  Plays utilizing their assets are designed to capitalize on their combination of size, speed, and wingspan, at times spreading them out on the line like wide-receivers, off the line in the slot, or putting them in motion in the backfield.

===Rushing===
The decline of the fullback as a rushing position has seen the occasional deployment of tight ends as ball carriers, either aligned in the backfield or out of the slot in a reverse or sweep.{{Citation needed|date=January 2023}}

== Physical attributes==
Most tight ends are large in size, with an average height of {{convert|6|ft|4|in|m|abbr=on}} and a weight exceeding {{convert|254|lb|kg|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blender |first1=Cole |title=Average NFL Height and Weight by Position |url=https://webpages.uidaho.edu/~renaes/251/HON/Student%20PPTs/Avg%20NFL%20ht%20wt.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126202244/https://webpages.uidaho.edu/~renaes/251/HON/Student%20PPTs/Avg%20NFL%20ht%20wt.pdf |archive-date=2021-01-26  |website=Webpages |publisher=Idaho University |access-date=15 July 2022}}</ref> They are usually among the taller members of the team,<ref name=kraemmer/> comparable in height to many linemen. Tight ends need to have this combination of physical attributes because they can be called upon to block linebackers and defensive linemen, as well as run routes and catch passes from the quarterback while outrunning defensive backs. They are also among teams’ heavier players, with only linemen and some linebackers weighing more than averaged-sized tight ends.<ref name=kraemmer>{{cite journal|last1=Kraemer|first1=William|last2=Torine|first2=Jon|last3=Silvestre|first3=Ricardo|last4=French|first4=Duncan|last5=Ratamess|first5=Nicholas|last6=Spiering|first6=Barry|last7=Hatfield|first7=Disa|last8=Vingren|first8=Jakob|last9=Volek|first9=Jeff|title=Body Size and Composition of National Football League Players|journal=Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research|volume=19|issue=3|year=2005|pages=485–9|url=http://www.getbodymetrics.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/18119416.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130316072558/http://www.getbodymetrics.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/18119416.pdf|archive-date=March 16, 2013|url-status=dead|pmid=16095394|doi=10.1519/18175.1|s2cid=24997384 }}</ref> Because of their larger size, tight ends are almost universally slower than wide receivers and running backs, although occasionally one with exceptional speed appears; an example of a tight end with a speed advantage—at the expense of blocking ability—is {{convert|6|ft|3|in|m|adj=on}} {{convert|248|lb|kg|adj=on}} [[Vernon Davis]], who achieved a 4.38 [[forty yard dash]] time.

== Jersey numbers ==
{{main|Uniform number (American football)}}
In American football, specific skill positions typically are issued jersey numbers in a restricted range.  High school rules nationally are determined by the [[National Federation of State High School Associations]]; tight ends are able to wear any number other than 50–79.<ref>{{cite web |title=2017 NHFS Football Rules |url=https://www.sunshineofficials.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/2017-NFHS-Football-Rules-Book.pdf |publisher=NFHS |access-date=23 May 2019}}</ref> The NCAA "strongly recommends"<ref>{{cite web |title=Football: 2016 and 2017 Rules and Interpretations |url=http://amarefs.org/FR16.pdf |publisher=NCAA |access-date=23 May 2019 |archive-date=September 27, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927104903/http://amarefs.org/FR16.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> ends wear 80–99, but this is not required. In the NFL, numbering has changed in 2021, which allows them to wear numbers 0-49 and 80–89.<ref>{{Cite web |title=NFL Jersey Numbers {{!}} NFL Football Operations |url=https://operations.nfl.com/the-rules/rules-changes/nfl-jersey-numbers/ |access-date=2024-04-18 |website=operations.nfl.com |language=en-US}}</ref>  The 0–49 number range is a relatively recent addition to the rules; as a result, most tight ends still bear numbers in the 80–89 range.

==See also==
* [[American football positions]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wiktionary}}

* {{cite book|last=Aaseng|first=Nathan|title=Football's Toughest Tight Ends|year=1981|publisher=Lerner Publications Company|isbn=9780822510703}}

{{American football positions}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:American football positions]]