Tyler Warren is heading to the Pro Bowl, and it’s a well-earned nod for one of the most impressive rookie campaigns we’ve seen from a tight end in recent memory.
The Colts’ rookie will step in for Raiders standout Brock Bowers, who withdrew due to injury, the league announced Friday. That substitution may have come late in the process, but Warren’s impact this season was anything but under the radar.
Let’s start with the history: Warren becomes just the 18th rookie tight end in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl, and only the second in Colts franchise history to do it-joining Hall of Famer John Mackey, who earned the honor back in 1963. That’s not just a footnote; it’s a statement about the kind of rarefied air Warren is breathing after his first NFL season.
Warren played in all 17 games this year, starting 12 of them, and he made every snap count. He hauled in 76 receptions for 817 yards and four touchdowns through the air, and even added a rushing touchdown for good measure. Among all NFL tight ends, he finished tied for sixth in receptions and fifth in receiving yards-numbers that would be solid for a veteran, let alone a rookie adjusting to the speed and physicality of the pro game.
To put it in perspective, Warren didn’t just contribute-he rewrote the Colts’ record book for rookie tight ends, setting new franchise marks for both receptions and receiving yards. That’s no small feat in a league where tight ends often take a year or two to find their footing.
But Warren’s value went beyond the stat sheet. He played a critical role in the Colts’ run game, helping clear the way for Jonathan Taylor to finish third in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,585. That kind of dual-threat ability-contributing as both a pass-catcher and a blocker-is what separates good tight ends from great ones.
Now, Warren joins Taylor and Pro Bowl mainstay Quenton Nelson in representing Indianapolis at the Pro Bowl Games. That trio is a testament to the Colts’ balanced offensive core: a dynamic runner, a dominant lineman, and now, a rookie tight end who’s already proving he belongs among the league’s elite.
Warren’s Pro Bowl selection isn’t just a nice capstone to his rookie year-it’s a sign that he’s only getting started. Colts fans should be excited.
The rest of the league? They’d be wise to take notice.