NFL News & Analysis

Premium Content Sign Up

PFF Record Book: Tight end signature stats

JTW6MH Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA. 10th Aug, 2017. New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) warms up before the preseason NFL game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium, in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Tje Jaguars defeat the Patriots 34-21 in regulation time. Eric Canha/CSM Credit: Cal Sport Media/Alamy Live News

• Rob Gronkowski stands alone: He leads the position with four records here, including the single-season contested catch mark.

• Travis Kelce's 2022 campaign goes down in history: Kelce racked up 24 forced missed tackles to tie for the PFF era record.

• The after-the-catch king: 49ers tight end George Kittle is unparalleled when it comes to producing with the ball in his hands, with his 2018 season standing out above the rest.

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes


The PFF database is a vast expanse of grades and statistics encompassing nearly two decades' worth of NFL action. The goal has always been to help better understand the game of football and bridge the gap between the past and present generations.

PFF data goes as far back as 2006, which may be a small sample size of the game’s entire history, but it serves as a tremendous asset in determining which performances truly stand the test of time.

These are the official PFF records for tight end signature stats.


PFF Receiving Grade

George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers (2019) – 94.3

Kittle surpassed tight end royalty in Travis Kelce (93.6, 2020), Rob Gronkowski (91.9, 2011) and Jason Witten (91.8, 2007) to secure the receiving grade record at the position. Only once in his six-year career has Kittle failed to surpass an 87.0 receiving grade, an indication that he is more than capable of sustaining this level of play deep into his NFL tenure.


Targets

Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (2018) – 154

Receptions

Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles (2018) – 116

In the year following the Eagles' 2017 Super Bowl victory, Ertz went from being a good tight end to being mentioned among the best in the modern game. He managed to set the marks for both targets and receptions by a tight end, a record that has held strong against the efforts of elite players at the position.

As the focal point of Doug Pederson’s offense in 2018, Ertz erupted for the best receiving season of his career, becoming just the sixth tight end in the PFF era to surpass 100 receptions in a single season. This past season, Travis Kelce came close to touching these records but ultimately fell short, finishing just four targets and six receptions shy.

Get the 2023 Fantasy Draft Kit for FREE

with annual plan
DRAFT KIT: NEW Unlimited League Sync
DRAFT KIT: NEW Live Draft Assistant powered by AI & PFF Data
DRAFT KIT: NEW Mock Draft Sim customized for your league
DRAFT KIT: NEW Expert Strategy & Player Data Deep Dive Content
DRAFT KIT: Customizable Cheat Sheets, Rankings, and Projections
DRAFT KIT: Dynasty, Best Ball, and IDP Expert Rankings
Nathan Jahnkes Rankings - #1 Most Accurate Last 70 Weeks
NEW Line-up Optimizer with Start/Sit and Waiver Wire recommendations
WR-CB and OL-DL Matchup Tools with PFF Player Grades
Player Utilization Report and Offensive Line rankings and data
Best Bets, Player Props and Futures betting tools
NFL Mock Draft Sim, PFF Grades & NFL/NCAA Premium Stats 2.0

Already have a subscription? Log In

Safety worth way more than 2 points. Help protect your family with fast, free will.
Sponsor

NFL Featured Tools

Subscriptions

Unlock the 2023 Fantasy Draft Kit, with League Sync, Live Draft Assistant, PFF Grades & Data Platform that powers all 32 Pro Teams

$31 Draft Kit Fee + $8.99/mo
OR
$89.88/yr + FREE Draft Kit