To most, it's just another Sunday in October. To NFL fans, it's a holiday: National Tight Ends Day
Since its accidental inception in 2018, the fourth weekend of October has become a day of celebration. It began in Week 2 of that year when former San Francisco 49ers tight end Garrett Celek caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from former 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo against the Detroit Lions, dragging two defenders with him into the end zone.
"We were on the sidelines after [former 49ers tight end Garrett] Celek's score when Jimmy [Garoppolo] asked, 'What is it, like National Tight Ends Day?'" 49ers tight end George Kittle recalled. "I was like, 'yeah, it's National Tight Ends Day. It's a holiday. Tight ends all over the league are scoring touchdowns.' That's how it came to be. We just kind of rolled with it."
Last year, tight ends represented their position on the holiday by finding the end zone for a record 17 touchdowns, the most in a single week. The record since 2000 is 22 touchdowns, set in Week 1 of 2015. They also caught 177 passes, which is the most on a single day in the Super Bowl era, according to ESPN Research.
Will they surpass those marks on Sunday?
In honor of National Tight Ends Day, here are Week 8's top plays by the big men on the move.
San Francisco 49ers, George Kittle
It's only fitting that the founder of the holiday found the end zone on Sunday.
After the Houston Texans rushed out to a 16-0 lead, Kittle got San Francisco on the scoreboard with a 17-yard reception for a touchdown on third-and-10.
However, Kittle wasn't the only 49ers tight end in a celebratory mood.
Jake Tonges
The 49ers' second score of the day came courtesy of Tonges' 2-yard catch.
Philadelphia Eagles, Dallas Goedert
According to Goedert and the Eagles, Sunday marks "the greatest holiday there is" -- and he certainly played like it.
Goedert reached the end zone twice, first with a 6-yard strike at the end of the first half and again with a 17-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
New England Patriots, Hunter Henry
Henry was on the receiving end of New England's first touchdown of the day after hauling in a 7-yard pass.
Cleveland Browns, Harold Fannin Jr.
Fannin Jr. was wide open on his first-quarter touchdown, creating 7.7 yards of separation, per NFL Next Gen Stats, for the Browns' most open receiving touchdown since another tight end's -- David Njoku in Week 14 of 2023.
David Njoku
The aforementioned veteran tight end also joined in on the fun with an 11-yard score.
Baltimore Ravens, Charlie Kolar
Kolar is the third tight end on Baltimore's depth chart -- and was the first Raven to haul in a pass for a receiving touchdown on Sunday with his 11-yard score.
Taylor's score gave the Jets a 39-38 lead in the final two minutes, leading to their first win of the season, with running back Breece Hall finding him in the back of the end zone on a trick play.
There may not be a more perfect day to score your first career touchdown as a tight end, and that's exactly what Helm did on Sunday.
Honorable mention
Los Angeles Chargers, Oronde Gadsden II
Though he technically didn't play on the holiday, Gadsden was certainly in the spirit.
He kicked off the holiday with five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown in the Chargers' win on "Thursday Night Football."
