Tight ends play a vital yet often underappreciated role. They are tasked with producing important blocks, often serving as a sixth offensive lineman, while others make their biggest impact in the middle of the field as a receiver. The best can do both.

The Green Bay Packers have enjoyed some of the most dynamic offenses in football over the years. In recent times, with elite quarterback play from Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers, they have hurt defenses primarily through the air. Many of the best receivers to play the game have called Green Bay their home, and that talent pool extends to the tight end position.

Finding a star at tight end can make all the difference. Many teams don’t have a true game-changer at the position. Over the years, the Packers’ offense has reached greater heights due to the play of their tight ends.

Criteria for selection

Expectations for tight ends have changed over the years. In today’s NFL, receiving yards and touchdowns carry additional weight, but in generations gone by, a tight end was defined primarily by their ability to block. It’s therefore important to consider a variety of factors when ranking the best tight ends in Packers history.

Receiving numbers matter, of course. Being able to contribute consistently and at a high level in the passing game is important. Other factors include individual awards, such as Pro Bowls and All-Pros. These accomplishments show which players stood out during their careers, regardless of era. Important plays and moments must also play a part in the decision-making. Stepping up when it matters the most is a hallmark of any legendary player, not just at the tight end position.

What was taken into account? A bit of everything. From stats, individual awards, contributions to team success, important moments, and even comments from peers all matter.

The top 10 tight ends in Green Bay Packers history

10. Robert Tonyan (2018-2022)

Had it not been for injuries, Robert Tonyan may have enjoyed more sustained success in the Packers’ offense. Despite going undrafted in 2018, Tonyan eventually earned the starting job in Green Bay ahead of third-round pick Jace Sternberger. But it took a while to get there. Just as it seemed he was building momentum in 2019, Tonyan suffered a hip injury that kept him out of five games and limited him for the rest of the season. However, his opportunity came a year later.

Tonyan had great hands, dropping only two passes across five seasons for the Packers. It helped him earn Aaron Rodgers’ trust, and the two connected 52 times for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2020. When Green Bay entered the red zone, there was a good chance Rodgers would look for Tonyan or Davante Adams.

Unfortunately, Tonyan suffered a torn ACL in 2021 and could never recapture his best form after his return.

9. Rich McGeorge (1970-1978)

Rich McGeorge caught touchdown passes from many quarterbacks during his nine-year Packers career, including the legendary Bart Starr, Zeke Bratkowski, Lynn Dickey, and David Whitehurst. Green Bay struggled for much of the 1970s, making the postseason only once, but McGeorge found success as a talented pass-catching tight end.

He spent his entire NFL career in Green Bay, catching 175 passes for 2,370 yards and 13 touchdowns over almost a decade with the Packers. Only three tight ends in team history finished with more career receiving yards than McGeorge. He posted excellent numbers despite playing in a difficult era of Packers football. How many more yards and touchdowns could he have put up in some of the better offenses that came after he retired?

8. Richard Rodgers (2014-2017)

What Richard Rodgers lacked in speed, he made up for with great hands. He rarely dropped passes that came his way, with Aaron Rodgers once saying he had “the best hands on the team.”

If ever there was a time to prove it, it was in a desperation Hail Mary to save the Packers’ season against the Detroit Lions in 2015. Aaron Rodgers threw a perfect rainbow pass high into the Ford Field lights. Richard Rodgers slowly backed into the end zone before leaping up to make a catch for the ages.

The Hail Mary defines his career, but he achieved far more than that. The two Rodgers connected on 13 touchdowns during four seasons, of which 11 were in the red zone. They saved one of their best for a playoff victory over the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, a 13-yard pass into the tightest of windows that ended up being the game-winner.

Richard Rodgers was never a superstar in the Packers’ offense, but he was a reliable target who Aaron Rodgers trusted in key moments.

7. Ed West (1984-1994)

From undrafted and having to battle for a roster spot to enjoying a successful 11-year career with the Packers, Ed West earned everything he accomplished in the NFL. He was an unsung hero in offenses featuring Brett Favre, Sterling Sharpe, and James Lofton.

West could do whatever the team needed. Most often, it was to block. But he also made an impact as a pass-catcher, particularly in the red zone—his 25 touchdown catches rank third all-time among Packers tight ends. West had four touchdown catches in his rookie season despite only making six receptions. Again, when the Packers needed him, he stepped up.

Having gone undrafted, West had to overcome the odds to even make an NFL roster. Eleven years later, he had earned the respect of everyone he played with.

6. Bubba Franks (2000-2007)

The Packers have had some great tight ends over the years, but few could dominate in the red zone like Bubba Franks did. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Franks was close to unstoppable within 20 yards of the goal line. He caught 32 touchdowns for the Packers, with 30 coming in the red zone.

Franks played a key role in a Green Bay offense that had a top-10 ranking in five of his eight seasons with the team. He made three Pro Bowl appearances and his 2,300 receiving yards rank sixth in Packers history for tight ends. He is second at the position for receiving touchdowns. The legendary Paul Coffman is the only Packers tight end to catch more than Franks.

5. Marv Fleming (1963-1969)

Marv Fleming played for two of the league’s best teams in the 1960s and 1970s, winning four Super Bowls. His first two came with Vince Lombardi’s Packers, and he won another two as a member of Don Shula’s Miami Dolphins.

However, Fleming wasn’t a key part of the Packers’ offense at the beginning of his career. He only started two games in his first two seasons as a backup to Ron Kramer, but his big opportunity came in 1965. The rest was history. Over the next five seasons, Fleming would start 64 games, catching 98 passes for 1,132 yards and 10 touchdowns and helping the Packers win three straight NFL championships.

Fleming became an important blocker in Lombardi’s offense while also making key contributions in the receiving game. He played in some of the most famous games in franchise history, including Super Bowl I, Super Bowl II, and the Ice Bowl. Fleming is now a member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame and one of the best tight ends in team history.

4. Jermichael Finley (2008-2013)

The best way to explain how much Jermichael Finley meant to Green Bay’s offense is by looking at how badly they struggled to replace him. Following Finley’s early retirement due to a neck injury in 2013, the Packers swung and missed repeatedly at tight end. They drafted Richard Rodgers and Jace Sternberger and signed several free agents, including Jimmy Graham, Martellus Bennett, Jared Cook, and Lance Kendricks.

None of them could replicate Finley’s production, who, in only a little over five seasons, posted the Packers’ second-best receiving tally among tight ends. In 70 career games, he caught 223 passes for 2,785 yards and 20 touchdowns, becoming a go-to target for Aaron Rodgers. Paul Coffman is the only Packers tight end with more career receiving yards than Finley.

A third-round pick in 2008, Finley started his career as a backup behind Donald Lee and Tory Humphrey. He only made six catches as a rookie, but that all changed in 2009. Finley started 10 games in his second season, finishing third on the team for receiving yards with 676 and tied for second for receiving touchdowns with five.

Finley had to retire at just age 26 after suffering a serious injury in a game against the Cleveland Browns. His career was ended too soon, but he still made a significant impact in the six seasons he played.

3. Mark Chmura (1993-1999)

Due to a combination of injuries and a lack of opportunities, Mark Chmura barely made an impact in his first three seasons in the NFL. The long-term outlook wasn’t optimistic for the Packers’ sixth-round draft pick in 1992. But Chmura’s hard work and determination eventually paid off. Once he received an opportunity, he never looked back.

Chmura enjoyed a breakout season in 1995, catching 54 passes for 679 yards and seven touchdowns. He was a perfect fit in Mike Holmgren’s offense, and only wide receiver Robert Brooks had more receiving yards and touchdowns. It was the first of three Pro Bowl campaigns, which would’ve been hard to believe when Chmura made just four starts in his first three seasons.

Between 1995 and 1998, Chmura made 167 receptions for 2,020 yards and 17 touchdowns while offering a ton of value as a blocker.

Unfortunately, he dealt with injuries throughout his career, preventing him from building on his already impressive resume.

2. Ron Kramer (1957-1964)

Some tight ends prefer to block, while others make their money as pass-catchers. Ron Kramer did both at an elite level and played a crucial role in Vince Lombardi’s offenses. Lombardi described Kramer’s blocking by saying it was “almost like owning a permit to put 12 men on the field.” He was among the main blockers in Lombardi’s famous power sweep, and his ability to take away defenders helped make the play so successful.

Kramer also made a significant impact as a receiver, using his athleticism to cause problems for opposing defenses. Just how good of an athlete was Kramer? He had the chance to play in the NBA after the Detroit Pistons drafted him in the fifth round.

He chose football, a decision that led to him becoming one of the Packers’ all-time great tight ends. His 2,594 yards receiving yards rank third among tight ends in franchise history. He won two NFL championships with the Packers, earned two All-Pro honors, and made the NFL 50th Anniversary All-Time Team.

1. Paul Coffman (1978-1985)

A three-time Pro Bowler and member of the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame, Paul Coffman is the greatest tight end in franchise history.

Coffman is the Packers’ all-time leader in receiving yards among tight ends, and it’s not close. He caught 322 passes for 4,223 yards and 39 touchdowns during his eight-year stay in Green Bay. In 1983, he posted the second-best single-season receiving total by a Packers tight end, making 54 catches for 814 yards and 11 touchdowns. It helped the Lynn Dickey-led offense rank second in the NFL.

Coffman’s story is as impressive as his numbers. He went undrafted in 1978 and faced the potential reality of failing to make an NFL roster. The Packers gave him an opportunity, and Coffman repaid their faith by becoming their greatest-ever tight end.

Green Bay only had one winning record during Coffman’s eight seasons, but it was by no fault of his own. The Packers had an excellent offense, with Dickey throwing to Coffman and James Lofton, and John Jefferson joined them in 1981.

Coffman’s work ethic and commitment to becoming a great player helped him overcome the challenges of making an NFL roster after going undrafted. His impact as a pass-catcher helped him become the first (and only) Packers tight end to reach 4,000 receiving yards.

The 10 best tight ends in Packers history by receiving yards