Greg Olsen says tight ends' 'blue-collar' roots make them the right group for annual training event

What started retired arsenic conscionable an thought has turned into 1 of nan NFL offseason's astir prestigious events.

Tight End University is entering twelvemonth six adjacent week, and this 1 expects to beryllium nan biggest yet — moreover if Travis Kelce's fiancée, Taylor Swift, did make a astonishment quality past year.

The yearly arena went from conscionable 1 matter connection from George Kittle to Greg Olsen astir moving retired pinch immoderate chap tight ends successful Nashville successful 2021 to bringing successful fans for nan first clip this twelvemonth astatine Vanderbilt University.

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Broadcaster Greg Olsen looks connected earlier nan crippled betwixt nan Seattle Seahawks and nan San Francisco 49ers astatine Lumen Field successful Seattle, Washington, connected Sept. 7, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Now, conscionable astir each team's superior tight extremity makes nan travel to nan event, which will beryllium unfastened to fans for nan first clip this year.

"Here we are now pinch 90 aliases truthful guys from astir nan league, awesome sponsors, and nan expertise to unfastened it to nan nationalist for nan first clip astatine Vanderbilt. It's a really cool operation of football, camaraderie, guys spending clip pinch each other, and picking each other's brains connected nan section and successful nan classroom," Olsen, 1 of TEU's founders, told Fox News Digital recently. "It's a really bully operation of each those things, and we dream that each twelvemonth we find ways to make it amended and better."

No different position successful football, aliases immoderate sport, has thing rather for illustration this. Sure, players mightiness beryllium friends and activity retired pinch 1 another.

But this is simply a spectacle, and it's because of nan position itself.

Carolina Panthers tight extremity Greg Olsen runs during nan 2nd half of an NFL crippled against nan New Orleans Saints successful New Orleans.

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"There's thing astir nan position wherever nan roots are much blue-collar and grind-it-out. It's only been successful nan past fistful of years that it's go much of a glamorous, superstar position," Olsen said.

"When I first came into nan league, it was a small different. So I deliberation it's nan correct type of guys to get together, activity difficult and train, and beryllium consenting to tally astir erstwhile it's 100 degrees successful Nashville successful June, a period earlier training camp."

Attendees are capable to bond, collaborate pinch and study among their peers while participating successful a assortment of activities, including movie study, on-field drills, recovery, rehabilitation and more. In summation to existent players, TEU besides features respective retired legends who supply attendees pinch nan invaluable opportunity to study from immoderate of nan champion to ever play nan game.

"Whether you're a Kelce aliases Kittle, a perennial All-Pro trying to widen your profession and proceed your success, aliases an undrafted rookie who has ne'er stepped ft successful nan NFL and whose first extremity is conscionable to make a believe squad, there's ever different level to reach," Olsen added. "Maybe you're connected a believe squad and now it's clip to make a 53-man roster. That's what we effort to promote — tin you return 1 point from this week, bring it backmost to training camp, bring it backmost to your squad and elevate your profession 1 step?

Carolina Panthers tight extremity Greg Olsen scores a touchdown against nan Arizona Cardinals astatine University of Phoenix Stadium successful Glendale, Ariz., connected Sept. 22, 2019. (Nils Nilsen/Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)

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"We're not trying to move everybody into Travis Kelce, George Kittle aliases Rob Gronkowski, but location are levels to each portion of this game. If we tin thief guys return that adjacent step, past I deliberation it's a success. Then there's nan nosy element. Can we springiness these guys and their families — their girlfriends, wives, kids, whoever they bring pinch them — a nosy 3 days pinch this tight extremity fraternity down successful Nashville? If we tin execute those 2 things, connected and disconnected nan field, it's a awesome week."

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