The National Football League is a great sport for many reasons, one of which being the fact that it attracts some of the best tight ends in the world. It’s no secret that the NFL’s tight ends are often the unsung heroes in an offense. Their abilities to catch passes and block enable quarterbacks to open up the field and play more snaps.
The list of the oldest currently playing tight ends in the NFL will no doubt pique your curiosity if you’re an American football lover. It’s interesting to see which tight end is still active in the NFL at the oldest age. Some are known by name, while others were unknown before being thrust into the limelight. Below is a list of the 14 oldest active NFL tight ends.
14. Nick Vannett (March 6, 1993 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 29 years, 7 months, 6 days
College: Ohio State
Current Team: New Orleans Saints
Years Active: 2016 to present (7 years)
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
Nick Vannett signed up with the Saints as a free agent with the intention of bringing seasoned expertise and a strong blocking presence to the Black and Gold tight end room. Seattle first chose the Westerville, Ohio native out of Ohio State in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft.
Nine receptions for 133 yards and one score were made by the 7th-year veteran in 2021, who played in seven games with two starts. Vannett has played for Denver, New Orleans, Seattle, and Pittsburgh over the course of six seasons.
Vannett and the New Orleans Saints agreed to a three-year contract. On September 6, 2021, he was placed on the injured list and on November 11, he was reactivated.
Did You Know?
In 2015, Vannett was crowned the College Football Playoff National Championship.
13. C. J. Uzomah (January 14, 1993 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 29 years, 8 months, 29 days
College: Auburn
Current Team: New York Jets
Years Active: 2015 to present (8 years)
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
J. Uzomah, a tight end with the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League, was born in Suwanee, Georgia. Uzomah spent most of his time at Auburn as a blocking tight end, only catching 29 receptions in his four seasons, but seven of them scored touchdowns.
He was a marketing student back in college. Uzomah threw a four-yard touchdown in his rookie season, and both the Senior Bowl and the Medal of Honor all-star game featured him.
The Bengals selected Uzomah in the fifth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He had one catch for four yards in five games.
Did You Know?
On January 1, 2017, Uzomah caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Andy Dalton to score his first NFL touchdown against the Baltimore Ravens.
12. Tyler Higbee (January 1, 1993 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 29 years, 9 months, 11 days
College: Western Kentucky
Current Team: Los Angeles Rams
Years Active: 2016 to present (4 years)
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Since being selected by the Rams in the 2016 NFL Draft, Tyler Higbee, a fourth-year veteran, has participated in all 48 regular-season games and four postseason contests, and he has also caught 58 passes for 658 yards and four touchdowns in his career.
In regular season action against Arizona, he hauled in 24 catches for 292 yards and a career-high two touchdowns. He started all 16 regular season games as well as three postseason games, including Super Bowl LIII.
He’s currently playing for the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League.
Did You Know?
In addition to being a Pinellas County All-Star his senior year, Higbee received first-team All-County recognition.
11. Eric Tomlinson (April 22, 1992 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 30 years, 5 months, 20 days
College: University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP)
Current Team: Denver Broncos
Years Active: 2015 to present (7 years)
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
American football tight end Eric Tomlinson plays for the National Football League’s Denver Broncos.
Tomlinson, a tight end in his seventh season out of the University of Texas at El Paso, has played for the New York Jets, Baltimore, New England, and New York Giants in 68 career regular-season games, starting 41 of them and making two postseason appearances.
On March 16, 2022, he signed a contract with the Broncos as an unrestricted free agent.
Did You Know?
In a matchup against the Atlanta Falcons on October 29, 2017, Tomlinson scored his first touchdown of the season on a twenty-yard pass from Josh McCown.
10. Chris Manhertz (April 10, 1992 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 30 years, 6 months, 2 days
College: Canisius
Current Team: Jacksonville Jaguars
Years Active: 2014 to present (9 years)
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American football tight end Chris Manhertz plays as a tight end for the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars. Manhertz began preparing to switch sports and pursue a career in professional football after graduating from college.
Manhertz had never played football before and had only ever played it through the Madden NFL series. In 2014, the Buffalo Bills signed him as an undrafted free agent.
On January 29, 2019, Manhertz agreed to a two-year contract with Carolina, and on March 17, 2021, the Jacksonville Jaguars signed him as a free agent.
Did You Know?
Christian McCaffrey’s trick-play 50-yard pass to running back Manhertz in Week 15 of the 2018 campaign gave him his first career touchdown.
9. Richard Rodgers (January 22, 1992 – present)
Age (as October 2022): 30 years, 8 months, 21 days
College: California Golden Bears
Current Team: Los Angeles Chargers
Years Active: 2014 to present (8 years)
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American football tight end Richard Rodgers plays for the National Football League’s Los Angeles Chargers. In the third round of the NFL Draft in 2014, the Green Bay Packers picked Aaron Rodgers with the 98th overall choice.
On September 5, 2022, Rodgers was acquired by the Los Angeles Chargers for their practice team. On September 28, he was placed on the active roster.
Did You Know?
In a Week 13 encounter against the Detroit Lions on December 3, 2015, Richard Rodgers snagged a Hail Mary throw from Aaron Rodgers for 61 yards with 0:00 remaining to lead the Packers to upset the Lions with a 27-23 score.
8. Cameron Brate (July 3, 1991 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 31 years, 3 months, 9 days
College: Harvard
Current Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Years Active: 2014 to present (9 years)
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Cameron Brate is currently a tight end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was chosen by the Buccaneers before he received his Harvard degree. He had spent a brief period of time playing for the New Orleans Saints until the Buccaneers called him back.
Brate began his football career while attending Naperville Central High School. In addition to playing football in high school, Cameron also earned five letters in basketball and baseball.
Brate hauled in 30 passes in 2021 for 245 yards and four receiving goals.
Did You Know?
Cameron Brate had a high proportion of red-zone targets that resulted in touchdowns among tight ends in the NFL.
7. Logan Thomas (July 1, 1991 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 31 years, 3 months, 11 days
College: Virginia Tech
Current Team: Washington Commanders
Years Active: 2014 to present (7 years)
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For the Washington Commanders, tight end Logan Thomas plays. He participated in sports as a tight end, quarterback, defensive back, and wide receiver at Lynchburg, Virginia’s Brookville High School.
Logan Thomas, one of the top tight end prospects in the nation, chose Virginia Tech over Florida State, Penn State, Clemson, and other schools when offered a scholarship to play for the Hokies.
At the beginning of training camp for 2022, Thomas was added to the physically unable to play list, and on August 22, he was activated.
Did You Know?
On October 22, Tyrod Taylor, a former Virginia Tech teammate, threw a 22-yard ball for him to catch for his first NFL touchdown.
6. Zach Ertz (November 10, 1990 – present)
Age (as of October): 31 years, 11 months, 2 days
College: Stanford
Current Team: Arizona Cardinals
Years Active: 2013 to present (9 years)
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NFL tight end Zach Ertz plays for the Arizona Cardinals. In high school, he participated in both football and basketball, but when he came to college, he focused on football.
In the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected him, and he later helped the team defeat the New England Patriots to win Super Bowl LII.
In 2012, Ertz was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which is given to the college football team’s top tight end. Ertz had at least 800 yards in every season from 2015 to 2019.
The Eagles traded Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals following a poor 2020 season and a sluggish start to the 2021 season. Ertz and the Cardinals agreed to a three-year, $31.65 million agreement on March 13, 2022.
Did You Know?
Zach Ertz was the player who grabbed the game-winning touchdown pass in their team’s Super Bowl LII victory against the New England Patriots. With 579 career receptions, he is second on the team all-time in this category.
5. Taysom Hill (August 23, 1990 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 32 years, 1 months, 20 days
College: Brigham Young University
Current Team: Brigham Young University
Years Active: 2017 to present (6 years)
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American football tight end Taysom Hill plays for the National Football League’s New Orleans Saints. He was one of the three starting quarterbacks for the same team in 2021. He was a BYU football player in college before signing on as an undrafted free agent with the Saints in 2017.
He spent five years as a player at Brigham Young University, but his passing statistics were average, he threw almost as many interceptions as touchdowns, and he only had one memorable rushing season as a sophomore in 2013.
He has 65 games under his belt now, and in that season, he was among the top 10 rookie tight ends.
He was only the sixth tight end in franchise history to accomplish this feat. He started 13 games, recorded 34 receptions for 320 yards, and scored a season-high five touchdowns, which tied for third most among AFC tight ends in 2019.
Griffin was eventually signed by the Chicago Bears on April 8, 2022, after the Jets released him on April 4, 2022.
Did You Know?
At Jacksonville, Ryan Griffin became the first tight end in league history to score two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the same game, joining Delanie Walker in that distinction.
4. Ryan Griffin (January 11, 1990 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 32 years, 9 months, 1 days
College: University of Connecticut
Current Team: Chicago Bears
Years Active: 2013 to present (10 years)
photo source: commons.wikimedia.org
The Chicago Bears of the National Football League have tight end Ryan Griffin on their roster. In the sixth round of the NFL Draft in 2013, the Houston Texans selected him out of Connecticut’s collegiate football program. The New York Jets were another team for which he played.
Griffin appeared in 15 games as a rookie, making eight starts, and in that season, he was among the top 10 rookie tight ends.
He was only the sixth tight end in franchise history to accomplish this feat. He started 13 games, recorded 34 receptions for 320 yards, and scored a season-high five touchdowns, which tied for third most among AFC tight ends in 2019.
Griffin was eventually signed by the Chicago Bears on April 8, 2022, after the Jets released him on April 4, 2022.
Did You Know?
At Jacksonville, Ryan Griffin became the first tight end in league history to score two touchdowns and a two-point conversion in the same game, joining Delanie Walker in that distinction.
3. Kyle Rudolph (November 9, 1989 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 32 years, 11 months, 3 days
College: Notre Dame
Current Team: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Years Active: 2011 to present (15 years)
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American football tight end Kyle Rudolph plays for the National Football League’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Rudolph was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the NFL Draft in 2011, where he was the 43rd overall draft pick.
He most recently finished his 11th season in the league with the New York Giants. He played for the Minnesota Vikings for ten years and was frequently praised for his game-winning efforts.
Rudolph agreed to a contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on July 20, 2022.
Did You Know?
In addition to being twice picked for the NFL Pro Bowl and chosen as game MVP, he was also selected for the first of three seasons as the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2013.
2. Travis Kelce (October 5, 1989 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 33 years, 7 days
College: Cincinnati
Current Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Years Active: 2013 to present (9 years)
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One of the National Football League’s top tight ends is the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce. He certainly has a strong case for being one of history’s finest. As the older brothers of Jason, the starting center for the Philadelphia Eagles, and Kelce, they come from elite NFL stock.
Travis was a two-threat quarterback for Cleveland Heights in high school, where he also participated in baseball, basketball, and football. As a full-time tight end in his final collegiate season at Cincinnati, Kelce had remarkable college stats, hauling in 59 receptions for 875 yards and ten touchdowns.
Between 2017 and 2021, Kelce was the leading tight end.
Did You Know?
In the 2020 season, Kelce had a career-high 11 touchdown receptions while catching 105 passes for 1,416 yards. This number of yards was sufficient to establish a new single-season mark for a tight end in NFL history.
1. Marcedes Lewis (May 19, 1984 – present)
Age (as of October 2022): 38 years, 4 months, 24 days
College: University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Current Team: Green Bay Packers
Years Active: 2006 to present (17 years)
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Marcedes Lewis is the oldest active tight end player in the NFL right now at the age of 38. He plays tight end for the National Football League’s Green Bay Packers. He played collegiate football for UCLA and was awarded All-American honors by the national media.
In the first round of the NFL Draft in 2006, Jacksonville selected him as the 28th overall pick, making him the only tight end from UCLA to be chosen in the first round.
On December 1, 2019, Lewis scored his first touchdown as a Packer, catching a one-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers in a win over the New York Giants in Week 13.
Lewis was re-signed by the Packers on March 30, 2021, to a two-year, $8 million deal. In Week 15, Lewis reached 5,000 career receiving yards in a 31-30 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 15.
Did You Know?
Lewis was the only Jaguar player to start each of the team’s 16 games in 2007, and his efforts enabled the team to record 2,391 running yards (149.4 ypg), which was the second-highest total in team history and helped Jacksonville rank number two in the league.
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