Average Height and Weight of NFL Tight Ends in 2023
I’ve been a collegiate sports performance coach for 20 years. One thing I always felt was effective was showing guys the heights and weights of players at their position in the NFL.
It helped give many players the extra motivation needed to gain weight when they were able to compare themselves to guys at the next level. (Sometimes it was even a stark reality check for, say, tight ends who thought 210 pounds was ‘big enough’ to play in the NFL.)
So, this is essentially the same research I would share with players, but now I’m sharing it with you. I took 53-man active rosters for the 2022 season (just before the final week of the season – Jan 2023), almost 1700 players total and broke them down by position.
For this guide, I took an average of the heights and weights of the 109 active tight ends across the league. In addition, just for fun, I listed the tallest, shortest, heaviest and lightest tight ends as well. Go ahead and impress someone today with your newfound random football knowledge.
Average Height of an NFL Tight End
The average height of an NFL Tight End is 76.53 inches (roughly 6’4 1/2).
Average Weight of an NFL Tight End
The average weight of an NFL Tight End is 248.65 pounds.
Who Are The Tallest Tight Ends in the NFL?
There are almost two dozen tight ends listed at 6’6″, but only four are listed as over 6’6″. The four tallest tight ends in the league are:
- Zach Gentry – 6’8″ – Steelers
- Donald Parham – 6’8″ – Chargers
- Jelani Woods – 6’7″ – Colts
- Colby Parkinson – 6’7″ – Seahawks
Who are the Shortest Tight Ends in the NFL?
There are a handful of tight ends listed at 6’2″, but one player stood out as clearly the shortest.
- Connor Heyward – 6’0″ – Steelers
- Anthony Firkser – 6’2″ – Falcons
- MyCole Pruitt – 6’2″ – Falcons
- Josiah Deguara – 6’2″ – Packers
- Taysom Hill – 6’2″ – Saints
- Quintin Morris – 6’2″ – Bills
Who are the Heaviest Tight Ends in the NFL?
There are some large humans running around playing tight end in the NFL. Here are the four heaviest:
- C.J. Uzomah – 271 pounds – Jets
- Marcedes Lewis – 267 pounds – Packers
- Mo Alie-Cox – 267 pounds – Colts
- Trevon Wesco – 267 pounds – Bears
Who are the Lightest Tight Ends in the NFL?
There are 4 tight ends listed at under 230 pounds.
- Lawrence Cager – 220 pounds – Giants
- Dan Arnold – 220 pounds – Jaguars
- Taysom Hill – 221 pounds – Saints
- Stone Smartt – 226 pounds – Chargers
Final Thoughts
So, what did I learn?
Tight ends in the NFL are massive. The average height is 6’4″ 1/2 and about a quarter of the guys are 6’6″ or taller.
It’s also interesting to see how some teams value particular body types depending upon their scheme. Two of the shortest players, Anthony Firkser and MyCole Pruitt both play for the Atlanta Falcons. I find it hard to believe that’s simply a coincidence.
Having said that it makes the tight end room at the Pittsburgh Steelers even more interesting with 6’8″ Zach Gentry and 6’0″ Connor Heyward, the tallest and shortest guys in the league.
If you found this info interesting, you might also enjoy the fastest tight ends in NFL combine history.
Other Positions
I’ve done the same height and weight breakdown for other positions too including:
Or, you can check out a complete breakdown of the heights and weights of all NFL Players by position.