Dual threats

Tight end is an interesting position. For the longest time it was just another blocker. Then Mike Ditka and John Mackey made the position a weapon in the 1960s.

But in the 1980s, there was a small move away from the position. The run-and-shoot, which was employed by several teams, did not have a tight end.

Today, with Antonio Gates, Jeremy Shocker, Alge Crumpler and Jason Witten, it's back in fashion to have a tight end that can break a game open.

It's also the first position I've released that has individual stats to mix in with team success. Still, it's team success that helped our current No. 1.

Rank, player, years, total
1. Shannon Sharpe, 1990-2003, 22131.5
2. Tony Gonzalez, 1997-2007, 21055.3
3. Kellen Winslow, 1979-1987, 19780.6
4. Mike Ditka, 1961-1972, 19505.7
5. John Mackey, 1963-1972, 19353.7
6. Todd Christensen, 1979-1988, 19114.6
7. Dave Casper, 1974-1984, 19068.9
8. Jackie Smith, 1963-1978, 19013.0
9. Pete Retzlaff, 1956-1966, 18653.1
10. Raymond Chester, 1970-1981, 18435.7
11. Ozzie Newsome, 1978-1990, 18259.3
12. Riley Odoms, 1972-1983, 18107.2
13. Ben Coates, 1991-2000, 17592.0
14. Keith Jackson, 1988-1996, 17579.5
15. Brent Jones, 1987-1997, 17446.1
16. Charlie Sanders, 1968-1977, 16720.0
17. Wesley Walls, 1989-2003, 16564.2
18. Fred Arbanas, 1962-1970, 16334.8
19. Steve Jordan, 1982-1994, 16120.3
20. Jay Novacek, 1985-1995, 16075.2

Gates is the No. 24 ranked tight end and will move into the top 20 if he remains healthy this yar. Pete Retzlaff doesn't get enough credit for showing coaches what players at this position could do. Lack of team success really hurt Ozzie Newsome.

Team successes at two different places is what has Shann9n Sharpe ahead of Tony Gonzalez so far. Gonzalez has yet to play on a team that won a playoff game while Sharpe played on three Super Bowl winners.

A short career kept Kellen Winslow from being in the all-time best discussion.

Another note, Mike Ditka once said John Mackey should have been the first tight end in the Hall of Fame instead of himself. Great sentiment but I have Ditka as slightly better.