Perhaps no position requires a wider range of skills to succeed in the NFL than tight ends, who are asked to thrive as receivers in the middle of the field as well as being key parts to the run and pass games with their blocking.
While many teams divide those roles among multiple players, George Kittle's ability to do it all for the San Francisco 49ers as one of the most efficient receivers and top blockers helped him score the honor of being voted the top tight end in the league by The Associated Press.
A panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers ranked the top five players at tight end, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.
Kittle got five first-place votes and three seconds to win the voting. Las Vegas' Brock Bowers was the only other player selected on all eight ballots and came in second with two first-place votes, five seconds and one fifth.
Kansas City's Travis Kelce got the other first-place vote and finished third, followed by Arizona's Trey McBride and Baltimore's Mark Andrews.
Detroit's Sam LaPorta and Minnesota's T.J. Hockenson also received votes.
1. GEORGE KITTLE, San Francisco 49ers
Kittle is coming off one of his most productive seasons as a receiver, catching 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight TDs for an injury-riddled San Francisco offense. He led all tight ends and ranked third overall with 2.62 yards per route run in a sign of how efficient he is as a receiver. Kittle also remains one of the top blocking tight ends, helping him earn first or second-team All-Pro honors in five of the past seven seasons.
