Will Tye
{{Short description|American football player (born 1991)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2019}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Will Tye
| image =
| image_size =
| number = 45, 82
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1991|11|4}}
| birth_place = Middletown, Connecticut, U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 260
| high_school = Salisbury School {{nowrap|(Salisbury, Connecticut)}}
| college = {{ubl|Florida State (2010–2012)|Stony Brook (2013–2014)}}
| undraftedyear = 2015
| pastteams =
- New York Giants ({{NFL Year|2015}}–{{NFL Year|2016}})
- New York Jets ({{NFL Year|2017}})
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2017}}–{{NFL Year|2018}})*
- Philadelphia Eagles ({{NFL Year|2018}}–{{NFL Year|2019}})*
| highlights =
| statweek =
| statseason =
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 94
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 897
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 4
| pfr = TyexWi00
}}
Wilhelm Tye (born November 4, 1991) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Florida State Seminoles and Stony Brook Seawolves, and signed with the New York Giants in 2015 as an undrafted free agent. Tye was the first player from Stony Brook to reach the NFL and played two seasons for the Giants and one for the New York Jets.
Early life
Originally from Middletown, Connecticut, Tye was a standout tight end/kick returner at Xavier High School in Middletown. Tye then did his final year of high school at Salisbury School in Salisbury, Connecticut, where he was labeled a three-star recruit by Rivals and Scout.com and was recognized as the No. 6 prospect in Connecticut and No. 19 tight end in the nation by the latter.
College career
Tye was recruited to play for the Florida State University Seminoles in 2010 before transferring to Stony Brook University for the 2013 season. In two seasons as a Seawolf, Tye recorded 79 catches for 1,015 yards and nine touchdowns.{{cite web|url=http://www.stonybrookathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/will_tye_839117.html|title=2018 Football Roster - Stony Brook University Athletics|website=www.stonybrookathletics.com}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 1/8
| weight = 257
| dash = 4.57
| ten split = 1.60
| twenty split = 2.65
| shuttle = 4.65
| cone drill = 7.21
| vertical = 31.5
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 4
| arm span = 33
| hand span = 9 1/8
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=113205&DraftYear=2015 |title=Will Tye College Football Profile |website=DraftScout.com |access-date=December 24, 2024}}
}}
=New York Giants=
After going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft, Tye was signed by the New York Giants as an undrafted free agent.{{cite news|url=http://www.foxsports.com/nfl/story/giants-think-they-may-have-found-a-gem-in-rookie-te-will-tye-051415|title=Giants think they may have found a gem in rookie TE Will Tye|last=Schneier|first=Dan|date=May 14, 2015|work=Fox Sports|access-date=August 19, 2015}} He competed with Larry Donnell, Adrien Robinson, Daniel Fells and Jerome Cunningham for the tight end job.{{cite web|url=http://nysportshub.com/giants-unit-preview-tight-ends/|title=Loading...|website=nysportshub.com}} On September 1, 2015, he was waived by the Giants.{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/New-York-Giants-announce-first-round-of-roster-cuts/5cabc25f-08bc-49f9-9ddc-88aace127876 |title=New York Giants announce first round of roster cuts |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=September 1, 2015 |website=Giants.com |access-date=September 1, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918064718/https://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/New-York-Giants-announce-first-round-of-roster-cuts/5cabc25f-08bc-49f9-9ddc-88aace127876|archive-date=September 18, 2017}} On September 7, 2015, he was signed to the Giants' practice squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Young-players-earn-their-way-onto-53-man-roster/dba93312-fcd8-4574-8409-66730b14cdcb |title=Young players earn their way onto 53-man roster |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=September 7, 2015 |website=Giants.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170805062104/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Young-players-earn-their-way-onto-53-man-roster/dba93312-fcd8-4574-8409-66730b14cdcb |access-date=September 9, 2015|archive-date=August 5, 2017 }} On October 3, 2015, the Giants promoted Tye to the active roster.{{cite web |url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-sign-TE-Will-Tye-to-active-roster-release-DT-Kenrick-Ellis/47956598-3d93-4570-80a0-2284c83cc63f |title=Giants sign TE Will Tye to active roster, release DT Kenrick Ellis |last=Eisen |first=Michael |date=October 4, 2015 |website=Giants.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171013064629/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/Giants-sign-TE-Will-Tye-to-active-roster-release-DT-Kenrick-Ellis/47956598-3d93-4570-80a0-2284c83cc63f |access-date=October 4, 2015|archive-date=October 13, 2017 }} Tye became the first player from Stony Brook to play in the NFL.{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.com/sports/football/giants/will-tye-first-player-from-stony-brook-univ-to-appear-in-nfl-game-1.10923054|title=Tye: First SBU player to appear in NFL game|website=Newsday|language=en|access-date=2019-05-01}} On December 14 during a Monday Night Football game against the Miami Dolphins, Tye caught his first NFL touchdown from quarterback Eli Manning en route to a Giants victory. In the Giants next game against the Carolina Panthers on December 20, Tye found the endzone again in a Giants loss to the undefeated Panthers. In the season finale on January 3, 2016, Tye found the endzone again in a Giants loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
For the 2015 season, Tye had 42 receptions for 464 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games played.{{Cite web |title=Will Tye 2015 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/T/TyexWi00/gamelog/2015/ |access-date=2024-12-24 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}} Following the season, Tye was named to the 2015 PFWA All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2015 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2015.htm |access-date=2024-08-03 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Going into the 2016 season, Tye still had to prove his worth. He made the final 53-man roster and started the 2016 season on the Giants active roster. Tye's statistics regressed in 2016 as he recorded 48 receptions for 395 yards and only one touchdown.{{cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/player/willtye/2553830/profile|title=Will Tye|website=NFL.com}}
On February 15, 2017, Tye re-signed with the Giants on a one-year deal.{{cite web|title=Giants make calls on some free agents, including re-signing tight end Will Tye|url=http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-giants/post/_/id/50859/will-tye-re-signs-giants-make-decisions-on-all-erfas|author=Raanan, Jordan|website=ESPN.com|date=February 15, 2017}} On September 2, 2017, the day of final roster cuts, Tye was released by the Giants.{{cite web|title=New York Giants announce 2017 53-man roster|url=http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/New-York-Giants-announce-2017-53-man-roster/af61460d-cd5a-4723-95d7-e08c74eaf74e|author=Eisen, Michael|website=Giants.com|date=September 2, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171205020739/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/New-York-Giants-announce-2017-53-man-roster/af61460d-cd5a-4723-95d7-e08c74eaf74e|archive-date=December 5, 2017}}
=New York Jets=
Tye was claimed off waivers by the New York Jets on September 3, 2017.{{cite web|title=Jets Claim Four Including Two Receivers|url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-Claim-Four-Including-Two-Receivers/5901413a-a8ca-4264-ba58-4f6ed1ade3ac|author=Allen, Eric|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=September 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218094128/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-Claim-Four-Including-Two-Receivers/5901413a-a8ca-4264-ba58-4f6ed1ade3ac|archive-date=December 18, 2017}} On September 10, Tye made his Jets debut, recording three receptions for 34 yards in the 21–12 loss to the Buffalo Bills.{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709100buf.htm|title=New York Jets at Buffalo Bills - September 10th, 2017|work=Pro-Football-Reference.com|access-date=September 24, 2017}} He was released on October 3, 2017.{{cite web|title=Jets Waive TE Tye, Release RB Murphy from PS|url=http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-Waive-TE-Tye-Release-RB-Murphy-from-PS/98f02d2e-b458-4e94-95bc-9c8487731e78|author=Greenberg, Ethan|website=NewYorkJets.com|date=October 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171207214307/http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-7/Jets-Waive-TE-Tye-Release-RB-Murphy-from-PS/98f02d2e-b458-4e94-95bc-9c8487731e78|archive-date=December 7, 2017}}
=New England Patriots=
On October 12, 2017, Tye was signed to the New England Patriots' practice squad.{{cite web|title=Patriots make changes to the practice squad|url=http://www.patriots.com/news/2017/10/12/patriots-make-changes-practice-squad|website=Patriots.com|date=October 12, 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180117210900/http://www.patriots.com/news/2017/10/12/patriots-make-changes-practice-squad|archive-date=January 17, 2018}} He signed a reserve/future contract with the Patriots on February 6, 2018.{{cite web|title=Patriots sign 10 free agents|url=http://www.patriots.com/news/2018/02/06/patriots-sign-10-free-agents|website=Patriots.com|date=February 6, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180212230905/http://www.patriots.com/news/2018/02/06/patriots-sign-10-free-agents|archive-date=February 12, 2018}}
On September 1, Tye was waived with an injury designation as part of the roster cutdown, and reverted to the team's injured reserve the next day.{{cite web|title=Patriots Announce Roster Cutdown|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-make-cutdown-to-53-man-roster|website=Patriots.com|date=September 1, 2018}} He was released on September 6, 2018.
=Philadelphia Eagles=
On November 13, 2018, Tye was signed to the Eagles practice squad.{{cite web|title=Eagles Swap Out Practice Squad Tight Ends|url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-swap-out-practice-squad-tight-ends|author=McPheron, Chris|website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com|date=November 13, 2018}}
Tye signed a reserve/future contract with the Eagles on January 14, 2019.{{cite web|title=Eagles sign 10 players to reserve/future contracts|url=https://247sports.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/ContentGallery/Eagles-sign-10-players-to-reservefuture-contracts-127827769/|website=247Sports.com|date=January 14, 2019}} He was released during final roster cuts on August 30, 2019.{{cite news |title=Eagles announce first wave of roster moves as team works toward 53-player limit |url=https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/eagles-roster-cutdown-2019 |website=PhiladelphiaEagles.com |date=August 30, 2019 |access-date=August 30, 2019}}
Personal life
During his rookie season in 2015, Tye earned the nickname "Baby Gates" because of his admiration of San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates and the fact that Tye and Gates have similar playing styles.{{Cite web |last=Lynch |first=Neal |date=2016-01-03 |title=Is Will Tye aka Baby Gates the Next Antonio Gates? |url=https://gmenhq.com/2016/01/03/will-tye-giants-baby-gates-antonio-gates/ |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=GMEN HQ |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|pfr=T/TyexWi00}}
- [http://www.stonybrookathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/will_tye_839117.html Stony Brook Seawolves bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tye, Will}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:New York Giants players
Category:New York Jets players
Category:Philadelphia Eagles players
Category:Players of American football from Connecticut
Category:Sportspeople from Middletown, Connecticut