Five Best Tight Ends Begins in Dallas, Not Kansas City

The Kansas City Chiefs fans have upped the ante in their attack on The Landry Hat just because I used sound judgment in my running back ratings that didn’t have their boy, Larry Johnson, in the top 5. I know it is hard to be a Chiefs fan, and these poor boys haven’t even seen a Super Bowl appearance in their nearly three decades on Earth. Kind of pathetic, but hey, it’s the Chiefs.

Let’s be clear: Dallas Cowboys fans don’t hate Kansas City Chiefs fans, as was falsely reported on the sister site Arrowhead Addict. We’ve never met any Chiefs fans, we don’t really know much about the Chiefs, we rarely play the Chiefs, and well, we don’t fear the Chiefs because they are perennial losers.

But they really are not going to enjoy this heavy dose of facts. The Landry Hat’s five best tight end ratings will follow these great photographs I found of the Arrowhead Addict bloggers, Adam and Zachary Best:

1. Jason Witten: Say what you want, but I am not being a Dallas Cowboys homer when I say that Jason Witten is currently the best tight end in the game. But just for the sake of quieting the tumultuous wrath of the Chiefs fans, let’s use some facts. Tony Gonzalez came into the league in 1997. He played in 16 games, had 33 receptions for 368 yards and two touchdowns. Witten came into the league in 2003 and he had 35 catches for 347 yards and 1 touchdown in 15 games. They nearly had identical rookie numbers. In fact, the first five years of both of their careers are also almost identical. Let’s review:

• Witten’s second year he played 16 games, with 87 catches for 980 yards and six touchdowns.
• Witten’s third year he played 16 games, with 66 catches, 757 yards and six touchdowns.
• Witten’s fourth year he played 16 games, with 64 catches for 754 yards and one touchdown.
• Witten’s fifth year he played 16 games with 96 catches for 1145 yards and seven touchdowns.

Now let’s look at Gonzalez’s first five years, one of which we already showed was equal to Witten’s:

• Gonzalez’s second year he played 16 games with 621 yards and two touchdowns
• Gonzalez’s third year he played 15 games with 76 catches, 849 and a breakout 11 touchdowns.
• Gonzalez’s fourth year he played 16 games with 93 catches for 1203 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Gonzalez’s fifth year he played 16 games with 73 catches for 917 yards and six touchdowns.

Witten’s breakout year came in his fifth year, when Gonzalez had different break out numbers in his third (11 tds) and fourth years (1203 yards).

Overall, Jason Witten in those first five years had 3636 yards and 20 touchdowns compared with Tony Gonzalez’s 3,590 yards and 28 touchdowns. I don’t know folks, but it is by no means a stretch to say Jason Witten is the best tight end in the NFL right now. Jason Witten also has a high-profile wide receiver on the team that demands catches, while the Chiefs have had, well, pretty much just Tony Gonzalez to throw to. Jason Witten is the best tight end in the game right now. Why are Chiefs fans being such bitches? I didn’t make this stuff up, kids.

2. Tony Gonzalez: Certainly an amazing tight end and likely will go down as the best tight end in the game over a career, that is until Jason Witten retires. Jason Witten will break any record Tony has.

3. Antonio Gates: Could be No. 2 but he doesn’t catch as many balls or yards as Witten and Gonzalez, but is just as good.

4. Kellen Winslow: Young up and comer, he had a great season last year with 1106 yards on just 82 catches. Needs to be thrown more balls in the end zone though.

5. Chris Cooley: He’s never reached 1000 yards or had more than 71 receptions, but he rounds out the top five because he is a go-to guy.