Tag: Tight end University

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s Tight End University returning this June

#Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen’s @te_university will hold its second annual summit in June of 2022.

Last offseason, Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce teamed up with George Kittle and Greg Olsen to create Tight End University.

Their inaugural summit was a smashing success, with over 50 NFL tight ends in attendance to collaborate and learn from each other. Today, the trio announced that Tight End University (TEU) presented by Charmin will be returning for its second year in Nashville, Tennessee in June of 2022.

“Tight ends stick together,” said Kelce, via press release. “It’s awesome to bring the current generation of tight ends together with legends from the past generation to be able to pick their brains. There are always ways to improve as a player and this is a unique opportunity to be in the same room with the most talented individuals to ever play the position and learn from them.”

In addition to current NFL tight ends, TEU also plans to invite several retired legends as coaches this year. The goal is to provide attendees with the invaluable opportunity to learn from some of the best tight ends to ever play the game. Does that mean Chiefs fans could see former players like Tony Gonzalez and Jason Dunn joining Kelce in Nashville?

“We’re excited to bring back TEU for a second consecutive year,” said Kittle, via press release. “The demand was high last year and the consensus among attendees was overwhelmingly positive. We look forward to making this an annual tradition for the best professional tight ends across the country to come together, learn from one another and have a great time in the process.”

Tight ends who are in attendance will get a chance to participate in a variety of activities including film study, on-field drills, recovery, rehabilitation, and more. The goal is for everyone to bond, collaborate and collectively improve the position group across the NFL.

“TEU was a big hit last year and we’re looking forward to building on that success in 2022,” said Olsen, via press release. “There are many different factors that go into playing the position, so having individuals with different skill sets in the same room presents a unique opportunity for players to improve different areas of their game.”

TEU will continue to collaborate with partners like Charmin, Bridgestone, Bud Light, and Levi’s, with hopes of continued growth for the event. They’ll also collaborate together to help support the Nashville community. For instance, TEU and Bridgestone plan to invite kids from The Boys & Girls Club of Middle Tennessee to attend and participate in drills with some of their favorite football players from June 22-24.

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News: David DeCastro, Nick Foles as Cowboys? Zack Martin’s rank? Herschel runs again?

Nick Foles as a possible trade target, NFL cheerleaders find themselves in an uncertain time. All this and more in Cowboys News and Notes.

The big guys up front lead the pack in this edition of News and Notes. Many are wondering if the six-time Pro Bowler recently released by Pittsburgh is worth a look in Dallas. This comes just as the Cowboys’ own perennial Pro Bowl guard is revealed to be in rarefied air among NFL players. And the need for depth along the O-line is leading one Cowboys scribe to scour other team’s rosters for trade targets.

Elsewhere, a Super Bowl MVP is mentioned as a possible backup to Dak Prescott, a spot of considerable concern for one ESPN writer. There’s linebacker talk as one current star looks to return to form while a rising star calls to mind more than one Cowboys great. Dalton Schultz spent the weekend getting tips from the league’s best tight ends, and Kelvin Joseph vows he’ll be ready for opening day. Emmitt Smith leads the charge in vaccination efforts, Herschel Walker may be running again (for office), and NFL cheerleaders find themselves in a uncertain time. All that, plus a farewell to a former team staffer.

WATCH: Behind-the-scenes look at Tight End University

Tight End University, put together in part by 49ers TE George Kittle, was a huge success according to a video released by the NFL.

49ers tight end George Kittle was an integral cog in the formation of the inaugural Tight End University – a summit for tight ends to work together and improve during the down-period of the NFL offseason.

Kittle, along with Chiefs TE Travis Kelce and recently-retired TE Greg Olsen helped put together the workouts for 49 NFL tight ends in Nashville, Tenn.

A few videos from the sessions surfaced, but the NFL posted a longer behind-the-scenes look at what went on at TEU both on and off the field. While the summit was for NFL tight ends, the group also helped out the local Boys and Girls Club and offered youth activities.

Kittle hasn’t been afraid to help lead the charge to get more recognition for his position, and the first ever TEU was a rousing success. He told ESPN he was anticipating around 20 players showing up. It wound up landing at 49, and the goal according to Kittle is to expand the event going forward.

In a time when the tight end position is becoming a more valuable weapon in NFL offenses, an annual offseason session like this one could be helpful across the league.

LOOK: Bears TE Cole Kmet puts in work at Tight End University summit

Bears TE Cole Kmet was among a handful of young tight ends that attended the Tight End University summit over the weekend.

Following an encouraging rookie season, Bears tight end Cole Kmet is gearing up for a potential breakout season in 2021.

And learning from some of the league’s best, including Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen should only help the young tight end, whose already gotten to work closely with one of the game’s best in Jimmy Graham during his rookie season.

Kmet was among a handful of young tight ends that attended the Tight End University summit over the weekend, where he got to learn from tight ends across the league, including Kelce, Kittle and Olsen.

Pictures have surfaced from over the weekend, including these photos of Kmet putting some work in whole Kittle looks on.

Kmet has been one of the standout players from the offseason program, where he’s been taking on a bigger role particularly as a pass-catching tight end. Graham has seen firsthand how Kmet grew as a rookie, and his arrow is only pointed up.

“He’s just a pro, the way he handles himself and the way he works,” Graham said. “He’s in there all the time, getting bigger, getting stronger, completely focused. He never rests on his laurels. He’s going to give 100 percent effort all the time on everything he does. He’s just a special kid.

“For him, there’s truly no ceiling. He can be as good as he wants to be. I’m excited to be a part of that, to help him get there and to win some games with him. He has a bright future and it’s been special to be able to help him do that.”

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Jags’ Chris Manhertz among players attending Tight End University summit

With some downtime until training camp, Jaguars TE Chris Manhertz spent the last few days attending the NFL’s Tight End University summit.

The Jacksonville Jaguars were pretty much guaranteed to add some help at the tight end position during free agency and did so by signing veteran Chris Manhertz. And while many expected him to be more so of a blocking tight end, he was one of the players the media praised as a receiver during organized team activities, making him an intriguing player to watch when training camp arrives.

To remain occupied in the meantime, Manhertz was one of many players to attend this year’s Tight End University summit, which is hosted by some of the NFL’s best players like Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and retired tight end, Greg Olsen. Of course, like many positional summits, it’s one where tight ends around the league gather to pick each other’s minds, bringing together both veterans and rookies. 

Manhertz could have a nice-sized role with the Jags and the team could also look to get him more involved than he was at Carolina as a receiver (142 career receiving yards). Right now it appears he has a good chance to be near the top of the depth chart behind James O’Shaughnessy, who is the team’s most experienced receiving tight end.

Kyle Pitts learning from NFL’s best at Tight End University summit

Pitts will learn from some of the NFL’s best tight ends at Tight Ends University summit.

The Atlanta Falcons looked to be focusing on talent over need with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, selecting tight end Kyle Pitts out of the University of Florida. But now that Julio Jones is out of the picture, the decision to draft Pitts makes a lot more sense.

Atlanta will look to the 6-foot-6, 245-pound rookie to help carry the load offensively, with Calvin Ridley stepping in as the team’s No. 1 receiver.

Aside from Ridley, Pitts is currently learning from other NFL greats as he attends the Tight End University summit, a three-day event in Nashville created by Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen. Pitts joined a huge list of veteran players from around the league at the start of the summit on Wednesday.

Pitts projects to be the next great receiving tight end, but the expectation for him to be an instant-impact player may be slightly unrealistic. First-year tight ends have struggled historically and the position generally takes a few years to get acclimated to the NFL.

At the same time, once you see the potential matchup nightmare the rookie presents — particularly in the red zone — it’s easy to get carried away with Pitts’ upside.

The Tight End University summit wraps up on Friday.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wants an invite to next year’s Tight End University summit

The #Chiefs’ quarterback knows a thing or two about throwing to the best tight end in football.

Kansas City Chiefs tight ends Travis Kelce and Blake Bell are in Nashville, Tennesee with for the inaugural Tight End University summit.

The three-day summit runs from Wednesday, June 23 through Friday, June 25th. The first of its kind, the summit is an opportunity that will allow the leagues best at the tight end position to collaborate, mingle, exchange ideas and more. They’ll get a chance to hit the field, do some film work and even run a charity camp for the Boys & Girls Club. A total of 49 tight ends make up the inaugural Tight End University class.

While Kelce and Bell are in attendance, there’s one Chiefs player on the outside looking in who wished he’d received an invite. No, we’re not talking about Nick Keizer or rookie TE Noah Gray, we’re talking about Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. The superstar QB took to Twitter to let everyone know that he wants an invite to next year’s event.

Mahomes probably won’t bring much to the table as a receiving tight end, as his career there has been pretty abysmal.

He does know a thing or two about throwing passes to the best tight end in football, though. Since 2018, Mahomes and Kelce have combined for 305 receptions for just under 4,000 yards and 26 touchdowns. That’s more than any tight end-quarterback combination during that span. That experience with Kelce certainly could prove beneficial to a group of players that aspire to have that type of success.

Thankfully for Mahomes, he knows one of the co-organizers of the event pretty well. If he truly wants to be a part of the second Tight End University class, Kelce should be able to make that happen.

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Chiefs TE Travis Kelce’s three-day Tight End University summit begins today

Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen’s inaugural Tight End University summit kicks off today.

Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce, San Francisco 49ers TE George Kittle and former NFL TE Greg Olsen are set to host over 40 NFL tight ends for the inaugural Tight End University summit in Nashville, Tennessee this week.

The summit will run Wednesday through Friday at Lipscomb Academy in Nashville. The mission of the summit is to help unite the tight ends, one of the most diverse positions in the league, under a common goal of improving and advancing the position. It’s similar in theory to Von Miller’s Pass Rush Summit or Lane Johnson’s OL Masterminds Summit. They’re getting some of the best and the brightest players in the league together to collaborate and learn from each other.

The players in attendance will have a number of activities taking place over the three-day period. Those activities will range from film study to on-field work. They’ll get a chance to exchange ideas and theories about the position group, covering responsibilities like receiving, route-running, pass-blocking, and run-blocking. They’ll even host a camp for the Boys & Girls Club, giving a number of children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get active with a group of NFL stars.

A number of sponsors are helping the players put on the event — including Bud Light, Charmin, Bose, Body Armor and Nike. They’ll also help those players raise money for charity during the three-day event.

If the summit goes well and proves to be productive, it could become something that’s put on annually by the trio of Kelce, Kittle and Olsen. Initially, they only expected 20 or so players to attend, but it’s already grown larger than they could have imagined. There is even potential for growth in future years to include more NFL players at the tight end position.

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George Kittle explains Tim Tebow’s Tight End University snub

George Kittle said there weren’t enough spots to invite new Jaguar Tim Tebow to his “Tight End University” event.

Newly signed Jaguars tight end Tim Tebow is still learning the ropes at his new position, but he won’t have the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the league at the Tight End University event in Nashville, Tennessee.

The event, which is run by San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and retired NFL tight end Greg Olsen, is intended as an opportunity for the best tight ends around the league to train and share information. But Tebow was not one of the 50-plus players to receive an invite.

In an appearance on the podcast “Pardon My Take,” Kittle and Olsen explained Tebow’s omission.

“So, nothing against Tim Tebow, but I found it hard to invite — I wish nothing but the best for Tim Tebow, and I hope he has a fantastic season playing tight end — but it’s hard for me not to invite a backup tight end on, let’s say the New York Giants, as opposed to inviting a guy who just started playing the tight end position because we do have limited spots,” Kittle said, according to quotes transcribed by David Bonilla of 49erswebzone.com. “I wish I could make it so every NFL tight end can come, (so) it’s accessible to everybody. But what we tried to do this year, we wanted to pay for everything for all the tight ends that come to kind of make it a special event for all tight ends.”

Kittle explained that there wasn’t enough room to invite Tebow. After all, not every backup tight end in the league received an invitation to the event, so it would be hard to justify extending one to a player who just started playing the position.

“We booked up an entire hotel,” he said. “They’re completely out of rooms. We have every room taken. We blocked off a certain amount of rooms, so we’re completely out of rooms. We thought we were going to get like 20 guys, and the next thing I know, we have 47 confirmed as of last week, and I think we just got past 50. Just, wow, that’s a lot of guys.”

Tebow was considered a longshot player to make the roster when he was signed, but this is a Jacksonville team that still desperately needs help at tight end. James O’Shaughnessy likely projects as the top option, but he had just 28 catches last year. Free-agent addition Chris Manhertz and fifth-round pick Luke Farrell are primarily blocking tight ends, while Tyler Davis, a sixth-round pick in 2020, only saw two targets and no catches as a rookie.

The path to making the roster, and potentially having an impact on the field, is there for Tebow. But the 33-year-old hasn’t been on a 53-man NFL roster since 2012, and an invite to TEU could’ve helped him findamentally.

Olsen said that if Tebow were to make a roster and “officially” become a tight end, that they would love to have him at the event.

“If he’s on a roster this year, and he plays tight end, we would love to have him, we would love to work with him,” he said. “Once he’s officially a tight end, we would love to work with him.”

It seems if Tebow wants to be a part of this exclusive group in the future, he’ll need to wait and prove it on the field first.

Falcons rookie Kyle Pitts invited to Tight End University summit

Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts is already taking the appropriate steps in honing his craft at the NFL level.

Falcons rookie tight end Kyle Pitts already appears to have the necessary talent to be a difference-making player at the NFL level. However, first-year tight ends have rarely made an impact.

As Pitts looks to buck this trend, he’s been invited to a tight end summit created by veterans Travis Kelce, George Kittle and Greg Olsen. What’s being referred to as “Tight End University” will gather some of the best tight ends from around the league to participate down in Nashville, Tennessee this summer.

Joining Pitts in Nashville is former Titans tight end Jonnu Smith, who spent the last two seasons playing in Arthur Smith’s offense in Tennessee. Smith is just one of a dozen veterans attending that can share valuable first-hand knowledge with the Falcons rookie.

Others expected to be present at TEU include Darren Waller, T.J. Hockenson, Mark Andrews, Mike Gesicki, Robert Tonyan, Noah Fant, Zach Ertz, Cole Kmet, Eric Ebron and David Njoku.

Don’t rule out Jaguars tight end Tim Tebow, as Ebron suggested Thursday on Twitter with mixed reactions.

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