Shannon Sharpe explains why the NFL's in the middle of a 'golden era' for tight ends

If anyone would know tight end play, it's Shannon Sharpe.

Before he was a media sensation, Sharpe was one of the best tight ends in NFL history, putting up first-ballot Hall of Fame numbers during his 14-year career, two of them in Baltimore. Sharpe was the first tight end in league history to go over 10,000 receiving yards, was named to four All-Pro first teams, and won two Super Bowls.

He's also responsible for the longest touchdown catch in NFL postseason history, a 96-yard reception in the 2000 AFC Championship game. It'd be impossible to talk about the history of the tight end position without him.

And even without all his accolades, it'd be hard to argue with his latest tight end take. While appearing on FanSided's "Stacking The Box" from Radio Row in Las Vegas, Sharpe explained exactly why tight end play has never been better, and why the NFL's in the middle of the tight end 'golden age'

Shannon Sharpe thinks we're in a 'golden age' for tight ends in the NFL

Specifically, Sharpe can't get enough of the iconic connection between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.

"You look at what [Kelce's] been able to do, the way he's played in the regular season. And he's able to take it up to another level in the postseason. The consistency with which he's great – he's great game in and game out. You know he's reliable, he's durable. The most postseason catches, the most touchdowns by a duo, him and Patrick [Mahomes]. What he was able to do was put up receiver numbers as a tight end. If it was that easy, all the tight ends would have been doing it also. He's unique.

It's not just Kelce who has Sharpe excited about the future of the position he dominated for so many years. Where there used to be just a handful of truly standout tight ends two decades ago, now the position is populated with superstars and rising young talent that continue to take the game to another level.

"This is a golden era for the tight end. You look at him, you look at [George] Kittle, you look at [TJ] Hockenson, you look at [Sam] LaPorta, you look at [David] Njoku. Now, there's so many more guys that can do what only a handful of guys could do when I played."

Sharpe touched on a few different subjects in the wide-ranging interview with Stacking the Box, including his *jam-packed* Super Bowl week schedule, that viral Club Shay Shay interview with comedian Katt Williams, and more. You can watch his entire interview right here.

Sharpe was working the room to help promote yogurt brand Oikos. He and actor Martin Lawrence will be featured in an Oikos commercial at some point during the game.