Tight ends have a unique job on the football field, so you may be surprised to see that this list of today’s highest-paid NFL tight ends doesn’t track with your fantasy football draft rankings.
Yes, some of the position’s elites like San Francisco’s George Kittle and Arizona’s Trey McBride are familiar faces at the top, but there are a few head-turners as well.
Overall, the market rate for a top-tier star has surpassed $15 million annually, with 16 tight ends now banking more than $10 million per season.
Here is what all of the highest-paid NFL tight ends are earning on average.
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Highest-Paid NFL Tight Ends, by Average Annual Value
1. George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers
- AAV:$19.1 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $76.4 million
2. Trey McBride, Arizona Cardinals
- AAV:$19 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $76 million
3. Kyle Pitts, Atlanta Falcons
- AAV:$17.6 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $53 million
4. T.J. Hockenson, Minnesota Vikings
- AAV:$16.5 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $66 million
5. Isaiah Likely, New York Giants
- AAV:$13.3 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $40 million
6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
- AAV:$13 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $39.2 million
7. Dalton Schultz, Houston Texans
- AAV:$12.6 million
- Contract details: 1 year, $12.6 million
T-8. Jake Ferguson, Dallas Cowboys
- AAV:$12.5 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $50 million
T-8. Cole Kmet, Chicago Bears
- AAV:$12.5 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $50 million
10. Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers
- AAV:$12.1 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $48.4 million
T-11. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs
- AAV:$12 million
- Contract details: 1 year, $12 million
T-11. Brenton Strange, Jacksonville Jaguars
- AAV:$12 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $36 million
13. Evan Engram, Denver Broncos
- AAV:$11.5 million
- Contract details: 2 years, $23 million
14. Darnell Washington, Pittsburgh Steelers
- AAV:$10.5 million
- Contract details: 4 years, $42 million
15. Juwan Johnson, New Orleans Saints
- AAV:$10.2 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $30.7 million
16. Cade Otton, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- AAV:$10 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $30 million
17. Chig Okonkwo, Washington Commanders
- AAV:$9 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $27 million
18. Mike Gesicki, Cincinnati Bengals
- AAV:$8.5 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $25.5 million
19. Charlie Kolar, Los Angeles Chargers
- AAV:$8.1 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $24.3 million
T-20. Hunter Henry, New England Patriots
- AAV:$8 million
- Contract details: 2 years, $16 million
T-20. Daniel Bellinger, Tennessee Titans
- AAV:$8 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $24 million
22. Josh Oliver, Minnesota Vikings
- AAV:$7.7 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $23.2 million
23. Colby Parkinson, Los Angeles Rams
- AAV:$7.5 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $22.5 million
T-24. Dallas Goedert, Philadelphia Eagles
- AAV:$7 million
- Contract details: 1 year, $7 million
T-24. John Bates, Washington Commanders
- AAV:$7 million
- Contract details: 3 years, $21 million
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