Note: Updated in 2023.
Throughout football history, the role of the tight end has evolved from a lumbering extra blocker on the offensive line to a dynamic, multi-faceted weapon with the ability to create mismatches on defense and dominate as a pass-catcher in the red zone while also contributing to the running game. From the early days of tight ends like Mike Ditka and John Mackey to Ozzie Newsome and Shannon Sharpe, football fans have been witnesses to a tight end revolution over the past couple of decades, with two notable names in Tony Gonzalez and Rob Gronkowski at the vanguard of the “new age” tight end. With Gronkowski’s recent retirement, a natural debate arises between Gonzalez’s long-term brilliance and Gronkowski’s epic zenith:
Who was better – Tony Gonzalez or Rob Gronkowski?
Continue reading
