 Tamme with theDenver Broncos in 2014 | |||||||||||
| No. 84, 83 | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Tight end | ||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||
| Born | (1985-03-15)March 15, 1985 (age 40) Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. | ||||||||||
| Listed height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||||
| Listed weight | 230 lb (104 kg) | ||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||
| High school | Boyle County(Danville, Kentucky) | ||||||||||
| College | Kentucky (2003–2007) | ||||||||||
| NFL draft | 2008: 4th round, 127th overall pick | ||||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||||
| Awards and highlights | |||||||||||
| Career NFL statistics | |||||||||||
| |||||||||||
Jacob Francis Tamme (/ˈtæmi/TAM-ee; born March 15, 1985) is an American former professionalfootball player who was atight end in theNational Football League (NFL). He playedcollege football for theKentucky Wildcats and was selected by theIndianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the2008 NFL draft. Tamme also played for theDenver Broncos andAtlanta Falcons.
Tamme graduated fromBoyle County High School inDanville, Kentucky, where he was a multi-sport star infootball,baseball, andbasketball.[1][2]
He was a four-yearletterman and three-yearstarter atwide receiver andcornerback for Boyle County, who won four consecutive state championships, two in Class AA and two in Class AAA, and had a 58–2 record over those seasons. He was a first-team all-state selection as a senior by theAssociated Press andLouisville'sThe Courier-Journal when he caught 46 passes for 797 yards, a 17.3-yard average, and 13 touchdowns. In addition, he was a finalist for theKentucky "Mr. Football" Award, given to the top performer in high school football.[2]
His career totals include 97 receptions for 1,866 yards, a 19.2-yard average, and 32 touchdowns. Ondefense, he intercepted 23 passes, including two returns for touchdowns. As akick returner, he took 25 punts for 395 yards, a 15.8-yard average, and two touchdowns.[2]
As aredshirt freshman, he played in all 11 games for theKentucky Wildcats. He started three games at wide receiver before moving to his more natural position of tight end for the season-ending game atTennessee, where he had two touchdowns.[3] For the season, he had 16 catches for 161 yards.[4] He was also named to theSEC Academic Honor Roll for excellent work in the classroom.[5]
As a redshirt sophomore, he played in all 11 games, starting 10. He was second on the team in pass receptions with 29 catches for 253 yards and one touchdown.[6][7] Onspecial teams, he blocked punts againstLouisville andFlorida. He also earned a slot on the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the second straight year.[5]
As a redshirt junior, he was voted to the All-SEC first-team by the SEC coaches and the Associated Press.[8] He led SEC tight ends in receptions with 32, netting 386 receiving yards and two touchdowns.[9] He made the SEC Academic Honor Roll for the third year in a row.[5]
As a redshirt senior, he had 56 receptions for 619 yards and six touchdowns.[10] For the second year in a row, he earned first-team All-SEC honors from both the Associated Press (unanimous decision) and coaches polls.[11]
Tamme finished his career as Kentucky's all-time top pass-catching tight end and second in the history of all SEC tight ends with 133 catches for 1,417 yards.[2]
As one of the top scholar-athletes in the country, Tamme completed his degree in integrated strategic communications in only three years and earned hisMBA just before entering the NFL.[citation needed]
Known for his contributions back to the community, in 2006, he was named to the National Good Works Team by theAmerican Football Coaches Association, theSEC Community Service Team by the SEC Office, and to the Frank G. Ham Society of Character by UK Athletics.[12][13][14]
In 2007, he was one of 15 finalists for the prestigiousDraddy Trophy, which is presented to the top scholar athlete in the country.[15] He gave the acceptance speech on behalf of the 15 finalists at the award ceremony inNew York City.
Also in 2007, he was named the SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and elected to the first-team AcademicAll-America squad by the College Sports Information Directors of America.[16]
He was the 2007 recipient of theBobby Bowden Award, a national honor presented by theFellowship of Christian Athletes.[17]
Tamme was inducted in 2018 to the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame.[18]
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft3+1⁄2 in (1.92 m) | 236 lb (107 kg) | 33+1⁄8 in (0.84 m) | 9 in (0.23 m) | 4.58 s | 1.56 s | 2.62 s | 4.27 s | 6.99 s | 30 in (0.76 m) | 9 ft 1 in (2.77 m) | 18 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[19][20] | ||||||||||||
TheIndianapolis Colts selected Tamme in the fourth round (127th overall) of the2008 NFL draft.[21] Tamme was the ninth tight end drafted in 2008.[22] He and the Colts agreed to a 4-year contract with undisclosed terms on July 23, 2008.[23] As a rookie in 2008, Tamme appeared in 12 games and had three receptions for 12 receiving yards.[24]
In 2009, Tamme appeared in all 16 games and started one. He totaled three receptions for 35 receiving yards.[25] He played inSuper Bowl XLIV but lost to theNew Orleans Saints 31–17.[26]
After Week 7 of the 2010 season,Dallas Clark was placed onInjured Reserve after an injury to the wrist and Tamme took over as the starting tight end.[27] In Week 9, against thePhiladelphia Eagles, he had 11 receptions for 108 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown in the 26–24 loss.[28] Tamme finished the season with a career-high 67 receptions for 631 yards and four touchdowns.[29]
Tamme's numbers declined in 2011 with the absence ofPeyton Manning. He finished the year with 19 receptions for 177 receiving yards and a touchdown.[30]
Tamme signed for three years and $9 million with theDenver Broncos on March 23, 2012.[31] His contract included $3.5 million in guaranteed money.[32] Tamme improved much in the 2012 year asPeyton Manning signed for the Broncos.[33] Tamme finished the 2012 year with 52 receptions for 555 receiving yards and two touchdowns.[34]
In 2013, Tamme was part of a Broncos offense that was franchise-setting, becoming the first time an NFL team scored over 600 points in 16 regular season games that year.[35][36] For the 2013 year, Tamme produced 184 receiving yards and two touchdowns.[37] Tamme scored a receiving touchdown in theAFC Championship victory over theNew England Patriots.[38] In the Super Bowl, Tamme had two catches for nine yards, but lost 43–8 to theSeattle Seahawks.[39]
In 2014, Tamme played in 15 games and had 14 receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns.[40]
Tamme signed with theAtlanta Falcons on March 19, 2015.[41] In Week 8, against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, he had ten receptions for 103 receiving yards and one receiving touchdown.[42] He finished the season with 59 catches for a career-high 657 yards and one touchdown.[43]
Tamme was placed oninjured reserve on November 21, 2016, after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery.[44] He finished the 2016 season with 22 receptions for 210 receiving yards and three touchdowns in eight games.[45]
On November 23, 2017, Tamme announced his retirement from the NFL.[46]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2008 | IND | 12 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 12 | 4.0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2009 | IND | 16 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 35 | 11.7 | 21 | 0 |
| 2010 | IND | 16 | 8 | 93 | 67 | 631 | 9.4 | 30 | 4 |
| 2011 | IND | 16 | 5 | 31 | 19 | 177 | 9.3 | 29 | 1 |
| 2012 | DEN | 16 | 8 | 85 | 52 | 555 | 10.7 | 36 | 2 |
| 2013 | DEN | 16 | 1 | 25 | 20 | 184 | 9.2 | 15 | 1 |
| 2014 | DEN | 15 | 0 | 28 | 14 | 109 | 7.8 | 26 | 2 |
| 2015 | ATL | 15 | 8 | 81 | 59 | 657 | 11.1 | 41 | 1 |
| 2016 | ATL | 8 | 5 | 31 | 22 | 210 | 9.5 | 19 | 3 |
| Career | 130 | 36 | 389 | 259 | 2,570 | 9.9 | 41 | 14 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | ||
| 2008 | IND | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | IND | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | IND | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 46 | 9.2 | 15 | 0 |
| 2012 | DEN | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 21 | 0 |
| 2013 | DEN | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 33 | 8.3 | 23 | 1 |
| 2014 | DEN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 10 | 1 | 15 | 12 | 123 | 10.3 | 23 | 1 | |
Tamme is aChristian. He has spoken about his faith saying, "My faith is important because it's the core of why I believe we exist as humans. Faith allows us to spend an eternity with God and it fuels my every day actions. I've seen how having faith in God can change lives and it certainly has changed mine."[47]
