Titans Rookie Chimere Dike Named AFC Pro Bowl Starter After Electrifying Debut Season
Chimere Dike’s rookie campaign with the Tennessee Titans has been nothing short of electric - and now, it’s officially Pro Bowl-worthy.
The first-year wide receiver and return specialist was named to the 2026 Pro Bowl on Tuesday as a starter for the AFC, earning recognition for a season that’s been defined by explosive plays and relentless production. Dike becomes the first Titans rookie to earn a Pro Bowl starting nod since 2010, and he’s doing it in style - as the league’s most dangerous return man.
Let’s break it down: Dike leads the NFL in kickoff return yards with a staggering 1,535 on 60 returns. He’s also tied for the league lead in punt return touchdowns with two and sits atop the charts in yards per punt return, averaging a blistering 18.2 yards every time he fields a punt. That’s not just good - that’s game-changing.
But Dike hasn’t been just a special teams weapon. The fourth-round pick out of Florida has steadily carved out a role in Tennessee’s offense, catching 41 passes on 65 targets for 341 yards and four touchdowns over 15 games and eight starts. He’s shown reliable hands, smart route-running, and a knack for making plays in space - all traits that have made him a valuable piece in a Titans offense still finding its identity.
Add it all up, and Dike leads the entire league in all-purpose yards with 2,269. That’s not a typo. For a rookie.
Before he was lighting up NFL fields, Dike spent his final college season at Florida after transferring from Wisconsin, where he played three seasons alongside quarterback Graham Mertz. At UF, it didn’t take long for Dike to make an impact - he cracked the starting lineup by Week 2 of the 2024 season and went on to lead the Gators in receiving, finishing with 42 catches for 783 yards and two touchdowns. His 18.6 yards per catch showed just how dangerous he was downfield, and he added a career-best 13.4 yards per punt return on special teams.
Across his full college career - 57 games between Wisconsin and Florida - Dike totaled 139 receptions for 2,261 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also contributing as a rusher and returner. He averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return and 11.3 yards per punt return, numbers that hinted at the kind of all-around threat he’d become in the pros.
Dike has spoken openly about how much his lone season at Florida meant to him. “I’m forever indebted to the University of Florida,” he said last November.
“Even though it was only a year, this place has forever impacted my life. I’m proud to be a Gator.”
He was the first of seven Florida players selected in the 2025 NFL Draft, paving the way for a group that included defensive tackle Cam Jackson (Panthers), cornerback Jason Marshall Jr. (Dolphins), linebacker Shemar James (Cowboys), Mertz (Texans), punter Jeremy Crawshaw (Broncos), and defensive back Trikweze Bridges (Chargers).
But it’s Dike who’s made the biggest splash so far - and now, he’s heading to the Pro Bowl.
For Tennessee, he’s become a rare rookie who can flip the field, shift momentum, and contribute in multiple phases of the game. For the rest of the league, he’s a name you’d better get familiar with. Because Chimere Dike isn’t just a special teams ace - he’s a rising star.