| Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position: | Tight end | ||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||
| Born: | (1995-07-30)July 30, 1995 (age 29) Chesterfield, Michigan, U.S. | ||||||||
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||||
| Weight: | 248 lb (112 kg) | ||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||
| High school: | L'Anse Creuse North (Macomb Township, Michigan) | ||||||||
| College: | Northwood (2013) Central Michigan (2014–2017) | ||||||||
| NFL draft: | 2018: 5th round, 157th pick | ||||||||
| Career history | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Roster status: | Active | ||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | |||||||||
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| Career NFL statistics as of 2024 | |||||||||
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Tyler Conklin (born July 30, 1995) is an American professionalfootballtight end for theLos Angeles Chargers of theNational Football League (NFL). He played one season ofcollege basketball atNorthwood before transferring toCentral Michigan to playcollege football. He was drafted by theMinnesota Vikings in the fifth round of the2018 NFL draft.
Conklin attendedL'Anse Creuse High School - North inMacomb Township, Michigan, where he was a standout two-sport athlete, playing as awide receiver infootball andcombo guard in basketball.[1] As a junior, Conklin led his basketball team to the Class A Final Four, scoring 22 points in a 59–46 semifinal loss to eventual state championSaginaw High.[2]
After graduating from high school, Conklin was awarded a full-ride basketball scholarship to Division IINorthwood University. He stayed for one semester and played in seven games, averaging 2.6 rebounds, 1.9 points and 1.4 assists per game. However, after the conclusion of the fall 2013 semester, Conklin realized he was unhappy and wanted to pursue a career in football. He transferred toCentral Michigan University, where he walked on to the football team in the spring of 2014.[3] The Central Michigan coaching staff initially wanted him to play defensive end, despite Conklin's strong desire to play tight end. He began the process of transferring again, this time to play tight end with his close friend and former high school quarterback atNAIASiena Heights University. However, when the Central Michigan coaching staff learned of this, they convinced him to stay, agreeing to let him play tight end and assuring him that he'd have the opportunity to earn a scholarship in the spring of 2015.[4]
Coming in at only 195 pounds, Conklin redshirted for his first season with the Chippewas, playing on the scout team while adding weight. After gaining 25 pounds during the offseason, he earned a scholarship and a role as a backup tight end for the 2015 season, playing in all 13 games and catching six passes for 95 yards. He became a starter as a redshirt sophomore in 2016, playing in 13 games with 11 starts, recording 42 receptions for 560 yards and six touchdowns.[5]
During the first one-on-one drill of CMU'straining camp in August 2017, Conklin broke a bone in his left foot and was diagnosed with aJones Fracture. After his rehab went better than anticipated,[6] Conklin was cleared to return to the field on October 7, 2017, for CMU's game againstOhio in which he set career-highs with 10 catches for 136 yards and two scores in a 26–23 victory.[7] After missing five games due to his foot injury, Conklin finished his redshirt junior season with 35 receptions for 504 yards and five touchdowns in 8 games played.[5] He was named Third-teamAll-MAC for his efforts in the 2017 season.[8]
Conklin finished his career at Central Michigan with 83 catches for 1,159 yards and 11 touchdowns.[9] Soon after graduating with a major incommunications, Conklin received an invitation to the2018 Senior Bowl inMobile, Alabama, where he caught two passes including a 16-yard over-the-shouldertouchdown pass fromWyoming quarterbackJosh Allen, whom theBuffalo Bills drafted at No. 7 overall.[10]
Conklin performed well at the 2018NFL Combine and ranked second among all tight ends in thevertical, fourth in thebroad jump, fifth in thethree-cone drill, and ninth in the40-yard dash.[11]
| External videos | |
|---|---|
 Conklin gets drafted by Minnesota |
| 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 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 254 lb (115 kg) | 33 in (0.84 m) | 9+1⁄2 in (0.24 m) | 4.80 s | 1.60 s | 2.78 s | 4.23 s | 7.13 s | 38 in (0.97 m) | 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m) | 18 reps | |
| All values fromNFL Combine[12][13] | ||||||||||||
Conklin was drafted by theMinnesota Vikings in the fifth round (157th overall) of the2018 NFL draft.[14] On May 5, 2018, Conklin signed a four-year contract worth $2.741 million, including a signing bonus of $281,032.[15] In the Vikings' season opener against theSan Francisco 49ers, he had onereception for six yards in his NFL debut.[16]
In Week 15 of the 2020 season against theChicago Bears, Conklin recorded 3 catches for 57 yards and his first career receiving touchdown during the 33–27 loss.[17]
On March 18, 2022, Conklin signed a three-year, $21 million contract with theNew York Jets.[18]
On March 21, 2025, Conklin signed a one-year, $3 million contract with theLos Angeles Chargers.[19]
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2018 | MIN | 16 | 3 | 5 | 77 | 15.4 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2019 | MIN | 15 | 1 | 8 | 58 | 7.3 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020 | MIN | 16 | 2 | 19 | 194 | 10.2 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2021 | MIN | 17 | 15 | 61 | 593 | 9.7 | 40 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | NYJ | 17 | 16 | 58 | 552 | 9.5 | 30 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 2023 | NYJ | 17 | 12 | 61 | 621 | 10.2 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024 | NYJ | 16 | 15 | 51 | 449 | 5.8 | 27 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 114 | 64 | 263 | 2544 | 9.7 | 40 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 0.8 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | |
| Year | Team | Games | Receiving | Rushing | Fumbles | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | Fum | Lost | ||
| 2019 | MIN | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Career | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |