Hall of Fame tight end turned NFL analyst Tony Gonzalez is already foreshadowing a promising future for rookie tight end Brock Bowers, calling him the likely heir to the throne as the next generational TE star to replace Travis Kelce. Speaking from the Amazon Prime NFL analysis desk alongside Richard Sherman and the crew, Gonzalez shared his excitement around seeing Bowers in action at Arrowhead Stadium as his Las Vegas Raiders faced the league-best Kansas City Chiefs.

Seated just yards from where Kelce continues to suit up as the current torchbearer for elite tight ends, Gonzalez dug into the history of pass-catching legends who have redefined the position. With Kelce ranked third all-time in receiving yards by a tight end [11,897], Gonzalez believes Bowers has the talent to carry that legacy forward.

“I’ve been watching this kid since he was a freshman at Georgia, tearing it up in that offense,” Gonzalez said. “He is that next superstar tight end.”

Gonzalez spoke about Bowers’ potential, comparing him to some of the NFL’s rising tight end stars. “We’ve talked about guys like Sam LaPorta and Dalton Kincaid, and he’s right there with them,” he said. “But Brock is on pace to break rookie records with 114 catches and nearly 1,200 yards if he keeps this up.”

Bowers is 7th all-time for rookie tight end receiving yards with 744. While Hall of Famer Mike Ditka set the record in 1961 with 1076 yards, Kyle Pitts came close to the record in 2021 with 1026 yards, with LaPorta reaching fourth with 889. The former Chiefs great then reflected on the symbolic “passing of the torch” in the TE lineage. “When I played, the torch passed from Shannon Sharpe to me, to Antonio Gates, then to Travis Kelce and Rob Gronkowski,” Gonzalez explained.

“This kid has the opportunity and the potential to be one of the best tight ends in the league. It’s going to be fun to watch him play. I’m glad I’m here to be able to see him up close and personal.”

Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) signals for a first down

Gonzalez thinks Brock Bowers is on course to be a legend ( 

Image:

Getty)

Even Kelce praised Bowers after the teams first matched up this October, where Kansas City defeated the Raiders 27-20. While Kelce [10 catches, 90 yards, one touchdown] outperformed Bowers [5 catches, 58 yards] in the game, he found the rookie on the 50-yard line to give him postgame words of encouragement, eventually leading to the tight ends swapping jerseys.

“Happy as hell for you. Keep doing your thing. I’m gonna shoot my jersey to your locker,” said Kelce. He then told Bowers to take a photo with him to show a brotherhood within the tight end community. Bowers has been a key part of the Raiders offense as its top pass catcher ahead of wide receivers Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker. His three touchdowns leave him tired with running back Alexander Mattison for team highs.