most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in his first season

Mike Ditka scored the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in his first season, with 12 touchdowns in his rookie season.

NAMEREC TDSEASONTMGPRECTRGREC YDSAVGREC YDS/GRUSH YDSATTYPCRUSH YDS/GRUSH TD
1Mike Ditka
M. Ditka
12
1961
14
56
1,076
19.2
76.9
0
0
0.0
0
2Sam LaPorta
S. LaPorta
10
2023
17
86
120
889
10.3
52.3
4
1
4.0
0.2
0
3Rob Gronkowski
R. Gronkowski
10
2010
16
42
59
546
13.0
34.1
0
0
0.0
0
4Rich Caster
R. Caster
10
1972
14
39
833
21.4
59.5
6
2
3.0
0.4
0
5Junior Miller
J. Miller
9
1980
16
46
584
12.7
36.5
-2
2
-1.0
-0.1
0
6Hunter Henry
H. Henry
8
2016
15
36
53
478
13.3
31.9
0
0
0.0
0
7Pat Freiermuth
P. Freiermuth
7
2021
16
60
79
497
8.3
31.1
0
0
0.0
0
8Joseph Fauria
J. Fauria
7
2013
16
18
30
207
11.5
12.9
0
0
0.0
0
9Eric Green
E. Green
7
1990
13
34
387
11.4
29.8
0
0
0.0
0
10Joe Senser
J. Senser
7
1980
16
42
447
10.6
27.9
-1
1
-1.0
-0.1
0
11Raymond Chester
R. Chester
7
1970
14
42
556
13.2
39.7
0
0
0.0
0
12John Mackey
J. Mackey
7
1963
14
35
726
20.7
51.9
3
1
3.0
0.2
0
13Colston Loveland
C. Loveland
6
2025
16
58
82
713
12.3
44.6
-2
1
-2.0
-0.1
0
14Harold Fannin Jr.
H. Fannin Jr.
6
2025
16
72
107
731
10.2
45.7
13
7
1.9
0.8
1
15Evan Engram
E. Engram
6
2017
15
64
115
722
11.3
48.1
14
1
14.0
0.9
0
16O.J. Howard
O.J. Howard
6
2017
14
26
39
432
16.6
30.9
0
0
0.0
0
17Charles Clay
C. Clay
6
2013
16
69
102
759
11.0
47.4
15
7
2.1
0.9
1
18Aaron Hernandez
A. Hernandez
6
2010
14
45
64
563
12.5
40.2
47
3
15.7
3.4
0
19Heath Miller
H. Miller
6
2005
16
39
52
459
11.8
28.7
0
0
0.0
0
20Chris Cooley
C. Cooley
6
2004
16
37
63
314
8.5
19.6
0
0
0.0
0
21Cameron Cleeland
C. Cleeland
6
1998
16
54
684
12.7
42.8
0
0
0.0
0
22Keith Jackson
K. Jackson
6
1988
16
81
869
10.7
54.3
0
0
0.0
0
23Rob Awalt
R. Awalt
6
1987
12
42
526
12.5
43.8
-9
2
-4.5
-0.8
0
24Jerome Barkum
J. Barkum
6
1977
14
26
450
17.3
32.1
0
0
0.0
0
25Charle Young
C. Young
6
1973
14
55
854
15.5
61.0
24
4
6.0
1.7
1
StatMuse has season-level data for receiving touchdowns going back to the 1921 season.

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More Bears Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

3,942

Williams

Caleb Williams

RUSH

1,087

Swift

D'Andre Swift

REC

713

Loveland

Colston Loveland
Team Rankings

PPG

25.9

9th

OPP PPG

24.4

23rd

RUSH YDS/G

144.5

3rd

PASS YDS/G

234.8

12th

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TEAMWLTPCT
Bears Bears
11
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0
.647
9
7
1
.559
9
8
0
.529
9
8
0
.529
Schedule
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9/20
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9/28
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8:15 PM
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10/4
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1:00 PM
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10/11
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4:25 PM
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LAR Rams

2 - 0

20

Final

17

CHI Bears

1 - 1

Sun 18 Jan 2026

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AFC EastWLTPCT
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Bills Bills - w
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10
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14
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Bears Bears - y
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.647
9
7
1
.559
9
8
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.529
Lions Lions - e
9
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NFC SouthWLTPCT
8
9
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.471
8
9
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.471
8
9
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6
11
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NFC WestWLTPCT
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1:00 PM