Ben Solak, ESPN NFL analyst since 2024, previews the 2026 season. Through two games, no records have fallen. Last season, Myles Garrett set a single-season sack record (23) and Trey Mc Bride caught 126 passes, most by a tight end. With a 17-game season and offense-friendly rules, more records are within reach.

Solak considered records like highest average punt distance (Blake Gillikin and Daniel Whelan tied at 51.7 yards) and most receiving TDs in a game (Jerry Rice's five), but ruled them out. He settled on six that could fall: most TE receiving yards in a season, most fourth-down conversions in a game, most team rushing yards in a season, longest field goal, highest completion percentage, and most forced fumbles.

The current TE receiving yards record is Travis Kelce's 1,416 in 2020. Last season, Mc Bride set the TE receptions record with 126, breaking Zach Ertz's 116 from 2018. Tight ends have topped 100 catches 13 times, eight in the past six years. In 2024, Brock Bowers broke the rookie receptions record with 112. TE targets had a 72% completion rate last season, versus 62% for WRs.

Colston Loveland averaged 12.3 yards per reception in 2025, third among high-volume TEs. Bowers is out after meniscus surgery. Tyler Warren was on pace for over 1,000 yards before Daniel Jones...