There have been so many amazing tight ends, both past and present, to grace the NFL. However, they don't all get their proper due, like Los Angeles Chargers legend Kellen Winslow Sr.
Yes, Winslow is a decorated Hall of Famer, but it feels like folks forget him when discussing the all-time greats at his position. We often hear the same names, specifically Travis Kelce, Tony Gonzalez, Rob Gronkowski, Shannon Sharpe, Mike Ditka and even fellow Chargers icon Antonio Gates.
But at long last, someone was daring enough to vote one of the usual suspects off the island. Retired two-time Pro Bowler Kyle Rudolph put Winslow on his Mount Rushmore of tight ends during an exclusive interview with FanSided. This, to many's surprise, notably came at the expense of Gronkowski, among others.
Retired Pro Bowler Kyle Rudolph puts Chargers' Kellen Winslow over Rob Gronkowski on Mount Rushmore of TEs
As a former standout tight end, Rudolph is among the most qualified to speak on the matter. His criteria for a top-four list were straightforward: Did those players shift the narrative of the position? With that in mind, he named Winslow, Kelce, Gonzalez and Ditka, excluding Gronkowski.
By the sound of it, Rudolph believes Winslow fits that bill even more so than Gronkowski, a three-time Super Bowl champion.
"He’s a monster. Truly changed the position from when we were basically just a third tackle to [a] dynamic pass-catcher."Kyle Rudolph on Kellen Winslow Sr.
It's hard to argue with Rudolph. Winslow's league-leading 89 receptions in 1980 were 30 more than the next-closest tight end (Mike Barber), catching more passes than the runner-up saw targets. The 1979 first-round pick incredibly finished tied for the sixth in the 1981 MVP voting, which is unprecedented now, let alone then.
For what it's worth, Rudolph contradicted his counter as to why Gronk doesn't make the cut. The former cited longevity, though the latter appeared in 143 games across 11 seasons (excluding playoffs), and Winslow suited up for 109 contests in nine years. Do with that what you will.
Comparing across eras can be difficult with so many variables at play, as Rudolph expressed. Radical shifts in strategy/rules to stat inflation, human evolution, deployment within a respective scheme, quarterback/supporting cast — it all matters. There's no perfect formula to balance the scales.
Note: Kyle Rudolph spoke on behalf of Good Sports.Â