Mention the words 'tight end' and 'Super Bowl' in correlation to the upcoming championship bout featuring the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. Often, that may lead to the name Travis Kelce. No one would ever question why his name might rise to the surface, but Dallas Goedert deserves some love too.
Like Kelce, Dallas marches into pro football's final game as Philly's leading receiver during this postseason run. He helped spark the Eagles' three victories with critical receptions, including a screen pass vs. the Green Bay Packers in which he rumbled for a 24-yard touchdown.
Dallas Goedert again won Kyle Brandt's Angry Runs scepter after viciously stiff-arming cornerback Carrington Valentine twice en route to the go-ahead score. Kelce is a no-doubt future Hall of Famer and any team going up against him better know where he is on the field at all times.
Not doing so guarantees a perilous game. He caught seven passes against the Houston Texans in the Chiefs’ 23-14 Divisional Round win, including a crucial fourth-quarter touchdown. He also, however, only caught two passes for 19 yards in his latest playoff appearance, one vs. the Buffalo Bills.
Dallas Goedert has made critical playoff receptions, and we're hoping the magic continues.
Dallas is one half of a pair of premier tight ends playing in New Orleans on Super Bowl Sunday. The 6-feet-5, 256-pounder has been a beast, thriving in the postseason. He has caught 15 passes over the last three weeks on 18 targets.
He has accumulated 188 yards for a per catch average of 12.5. In addition to his electrifying score vs. Green Bay, he also hauled in a 31-yard toss in the third quarter of Philly's game vs. the Los Angeles Rams. That set up a Jake Elliott field goal that gave the Eagles the lead for good.
In the NFC Championship game against the Washington Commanders, Goedert caught a 26-yard pass in the third quarter which set the Eagles up on the opposing team's 9-yard line. That led to a rushing TD by Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts.
He also threw a critical downfield block for running back Saquon Barkley on the Eagles’ first offensive play of the game, freeing Barkley to sprint for a 60-yard touchdown run.
Goedert is hard to bring down after a catch.
Goedert’s trademark is the yards he gains after a catch. He refuses to be taken down on first contact (or without a fight). He's a highlight reel waiting to happen. Philly needn't overthink things. If they want good things to happen, they need only give him the ball.
The Eagles are home to the dangerous wide receiver duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They have collectively scored 47 touchdowns and collected over 7,000 receiving yards during the past three years. That's the best stretch by a duo in Eagles history.
Goedert has stepped up in the playoffs. He averages 43 yards receiving per game during the regular season, upping it to 63 during the playoffs.
Yes, the dangerous Travis Kelce will be on the field in the Super Bowl. Still, if the Chiefs don’t know where Goedert is on every offensive play, they will be in for a long evening.