Kansas City Chiefs TE Jared Wiley could rewrite franchise history books as a rookie in 2024.
The fourth-round draft pick out of TCU is off to a hot start this offseason, standing out to his coaches and his teammates during OTAs and mandatory minicamp practices. While there's still a long way to go for the rookie before he straps up the pads and hits the gridiron, it's worth noting that some franchise records will be within reach when he suits up this fall.
You wouldn't quite expect that to be the case when guys like Travis Kelce and Tony Gonzalez were drafted by the team, but shockingly neither player owns a rookie receiving record for Kansas City.
Who set the Chiefs' rookie receiving records for tight ends?
Receptions: Tony Moeaki (2010)
A record that was once held by Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez was claimed by another Tony back in 2010. He caught 47 passes on 73 targets mostly thrown by former Chiefs QB Matt Cassel. He had the second-most receptions on the team that season next to WR Dwayne Bowe.
Yards: Walter White (1975)
This record has shockingly stood the test of time and you'd never guess it given all of the great tight ends the Chiefs have drafted throughout franchise history. White was absolutely cooking in 1975, recording 559 receiving yards as a rookie. He had the second-most receiving yards on the team that season next to Barry Pearson. He primarily had Mike Livingston and Len Dawson throwing him the ball that season.
Touchdowns: Fred Arbanas (1962)
This one technically occurred with the Dallas Texans, where a rookie Arbanas scored six touchdowns. If you don't want to count that performance from the Chiefs Hall of Famer given that technicality, the aforementioned White and Moeaki would actually be tied for the most touchdowns by a rookie tight end with three. We're going to give it to Arbanas, though because that's who has the official team record.
So, which record is Jared Wiley likeliest to break?
History says the odds are probably stacked against Wiley when it comes to breaking any of those records. The reception record has stood for 14 years, the receiving yards record has stood for 49 years, and the touchdown record for 62 years. That doesn't even consider just how hard it has been for rookie tight ends to hit these marks across the league.
In 2023, only two rookie tight ends (Lions TE Sam LaPorta and Bills TE Dalton Kincaid) in the NFL had more than 47 receptions and 559 yards. Only one rookie tight end (LaPorta) had six or more receiving touchdowns. Those guys weren't playing opposite a future Hall of Famer either. In 2022, no rookie tight ends reached any of those marks. Going back 20 years, I couldn't find a single instance where two or more rookie tight ends had 47 receptions, 559 yards, and six touchdowns in their first year in the league. That's not exactly inspiring news when nine tight ends were drafted ahead of Wiley.
All of that said, I tend to believe that Wiley has the best shot at breaking the touchdown record. It seems like the Chiefs are intent on using him as they used Jody Fortson in seasons prior, which means he's going to get into multiple tight end personnel groupings near the red zone. He had three red zone touchdowns in team drills during the team's two mandatory minicamp practices. He also might have something else going for his chances this season. . .
Former Chiefs TE Jason Dunn identifies one variable that might help Wiley's chances
I recently had a chance to sit down and chat with former Chiefs TE Jason Dunn (more of that interview coming soon), who spent eight seasons of his career in Kansas City from 2000 through 2007. I told Dunn that I was working on this project and asked whether he thought Wiley realistically had a shot to break any of these records. Our conversation landed on a situation surrounding one of Wiley's new teammates.
"I do believe it all stems from if Rashee Rice is going to be there or not," Dunn said. "Because if he isn't, I think Jared Wiley gets extensive playing time, I think you bring in a package and make it 13 personnel a little bit more than what you would have been if Rashee Rice was in there."
Rice, of course, is facing a suspension for a violation of the NFL's personnel conduct policy after his involvement in a multi-vehicle car crash in Dallas, Texas this offseason. Should he be suspended to start the 2024 NFL season, it could opportunity for Wiley to carve out a much more significant role in the offense as a rookie.
"You've got Hollywood Brown, who is going to be tremendous for us," Dunn said. "Xavier Worthy who's going to have a breakout season as a rookie, I do believe. Then you start looking at other guys back behind that okay, wide receiver-wise. Mecole Hardman is going to have some jet sweeps and some looks down the field. Then you have to start looking at the tight ends. Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Jared Wiley, Irv Smith. Who's going to be in there? I think tight end is going to have a much bigger part of what we do offensively because all these guys can catch. All of them are a matchup nightmare. And so, when you have an athletic tight end like Jared Wiley, opposite of Travis Kelce, it does make sense."
As for the likeliest record to be broken, Dunn felt a lot more confident about the potential that Wiley breaks the rookie touchdown record as opposed to the receiving yards record.
"Can he get six touchdowns this season? Absolutely," Dunn exclaimed. "In 17 games without a doubt, without a doubt. Because he'll be the guy that nobody sees coming. Right? Oh, here comes a rookie tight end, and next thing you know, Pat throws a post route to him or he's matched up against a corner who's four or five inches shorter than him. So it's not outside the realm of possibility for him to have six touchdowns. I think that may be a much more doable task than the 559 yards. Because I do believe that the majority of his touches and looks are going to be down in the red zone."
Related: Chiefs DBs coach Dave Merritt's son Dawson Merritt commits to the University of Alabama 2025 class
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