Happy National Tight Ends Day to all who celebrate!
Among those who reveled in the football holiday were NFL tight ends themselves, who scored 16 touchdowns and totaled 177 receptions — the most catches by tight ends on any day in league history. That’s also more TDs than have ever been scored on the occasion since San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle created the day of recognition for his position and peers in 2018.
Let’s begin with the tight ends who caught two touchdowns for the respective teams in Week 8. The showcase game for the position was the Atlanta Falcons‘ 31–26 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which featured four touchdowns from tight ends.
Here are all of the tight ends who found the end zone in Week 8’s Sunday action, prior to the “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants
Kyle Pitts, Falcons: 2 TDs, 4 catches, 91 yards
Cade Otton, Buccaneers: 2 TDs, 9 catches, 81 yards
Pitts’ second score of the day came with some uncertainty. At the goal line, it appeared that Bucs defensive back Antoine Winfield Jr. may have knocked the ball away. But after replay review, Pitts was ruled to have crossed the goal line before the ball came loose.
David Njoku, Browns: 1 TD, 5 catches, 61 yards
Dalton Kincaid, Bills: 1 TD, 4 receptions, 31 yards
Travis Kelce, Chiefs: 1 TD, 10 catches, 90 yards
Perhaps it’s appropriate that one of the NFL’s best-known tight ends had his best game of the 2024 season on the day celebrating his position. Travis Kelce caught 10 passes for 90 yards in the Kansas City Chiefs‘ 27–20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. His touchdown also moved him into fifth place on the NFL’s all-time TD list for tight ends.
Two games featured teams with two different tight ends catching touchdowns. First was the Detroit Lions in their 52–14 win over the Tennessee Titans.
Sam LaPorta, Lions: 1 TD, 6 receptions, 48 yards
Brock Wright, Lions: 1 TD, 1 catch, 8 yards
LaPorta was the one tight end who caught a TD from a non-quarterback, hauling in a pass from running back David Montgomery on a trick play.
The other team that had two tight ends catch touchdowns was the Denver Broncos in their 28–14 victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Nate Adkins, Broncos: 1 TD, 1 catch, 3 yards
Adam Trautman, Broncos: 1 TD, 3 catches, 73 yards
Tyler Conklin, Jets: 1 TD, 3 receptions, 42 yards
Mark Andrews, Ravens: 1 TD, 5 catches, 36 yards
The Green Bay Packers‘ 30–27 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars featured one tight end touchdown catch apiece from each team.
Tucker Kraft, Packers: 1 TD, 3 receptions, 78 yards
Evan Engram, Jaguars: 1 TD, 4 catches, 36 yards
Engram’s TD was huge, grabbing the catch among three defenders to tie the score at 27-27 with 1:48 remaining in the game.
George Kittle, 49ers: 1 TD, 6 receptions, 128 yards
George Kittle caught a huge touchdown for the 49ers in the second half of their matchup with the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, which put them up by 10 points at the time. His six catches for 128 yards led the Niners’ to a 30-24 victory over the Cowboys.
Recognition is also deserved by those tight ends who put up great numbers in Week 8, yet didn’t score a touchdown. No one at the position had a better statistical day than Trey McBride, who notched nine receptions for 124 yards as the Arizona Cardinals defeated the Miami Dolphins, 28–27.
In addition, Mike Gesicki caught seven passes for 73 yards for the Cincinnati Bengals and the Washington Commanders‘ Zach Ertz grabbed six receptions for 66 yards.
