I notice that more teams are using tight ends not only as pass catchers but also as runners. Six different tight ends have carried the ball at least 5 times, and they’ve all run for touchdowns.
In the case of rookies Tyler Warren and Harold Fannin, their teams are just trying to tap into their versatility. And veteran Jonnu Smith falls into this class; he’s had runs of 14, 8, 20 and 7 yards the last three weeks. His offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith, also used Smith as a runner when they were together in Tennessee.
The more notable tight end runners, however, are those inspired by the Tush Push. Connor Heyward, Mark Andrews and AJ Barner have all lined up under center regularly, trying to duplicate what Jalen Hurts has done for the Eagles.
Tucker Kraft might have been one of these guys also, had he not gotten hurt. He had a carry in Green Bay’s opener, and 5 carries last year (including the postseason).
It’s a change to the game. Since the move to 32 teams in 2002, only seven times has a tight end carried the ball at least 7 times in a season. All but two of those players have come from the current season.
These are just minor stats on the side. None of these guys has run for 2 TDs. But there’s a little extra value on the side, and it’s worked into our player grading system. With AJ Barner, for example, the Seahawks average about a rushing touchdown per game, and he should account for 5-8 percent of their rushing touchdowns, making it reasonable to add an extra quarter or half point onto his projection in a typical week. That’s enough to lift him past a number of other comparable tight ends.
With the Seahawks, I think their original thinking might have been for Jalen Milroe to be their Tush Push guy. But he was involved in a lost fumble on a gadget play in Week 5, and he hasn’t stepped on the field since.
(In the chart below, I’m not listing Taysom Hill; he’s had plenty of carries while listed as a tight end, but he’s more of a gadget player rather than a traditional tight end.)
| TIGHT ENDS WITH 5 RUSHING ATTEMPTS | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2025 | Connor Heyward, Pitt. | 12 | 41 | 3.4 | 1 |
| 2025 | Mark Andrews, Balt. | 10 | 48 | 4.8 | 1 |
| 2025 | AJ Barner, Sea. | 10 | 14 | 1.4 | 1 |
| 2021 | Jonnu Smith, N.E. | 9 | 40 | 4.4 | 0 |
| 2025 | Jonnu Smith, Pitt. | 8 | 68 | 8.5 | 1 |
| 2013 | Charles Clay, Mia. | 7 | 15 | 2.1 | 1 |
| 2025 | Harold Fannin, Cle. | 7 | 13 | 1.9 | 1 |
| 2013 | MarQueis Gray, Cle. | 6 | 43 | 7.2 | 0 |
| 2002 | Ernie Conwell, St.L. | 6 | 30 | 5.0 | 1 |
| 2020 | Evan Engram, NYG | 6 | 26 | 4.3 | 1 |
| 2002 | Jim Kleinsasser, Min. | 6 | 17 | 2.8 | 0 |
| 2025 | Tyler Warren, Ind. | 6 | 8 | 1.3 | 1 |
| 2011 | Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | 5 | 45 | 9.0 | 0 |
| 2019 | George Kittle, S.F. | 5 | 22 | 4.4 | 0 |
| 2017 | MarQueis Gray, Mia. | 5 | 14 | 2.8 | 0 |
| 2024 | Brock Bowers, L.V. | 5 | 13 | 2.6 | 0 |
| 2014 | Trey Burton, Phil. | 5 | 10 | 2.0 | 0 |
| 2023 | Harrison Bryant, Cle. | 5 | 8 | 1.6 | 0 |
—Ian Allan