Former Gators Wide Receiver Recevies Pro Bowl Nod as a Rookie

The former Florida Gators wide receiver became the first rookie on the Tennessee Titans in over a decade to get this honor

The former Gators wide receiver has been an instant hit in Tennessee | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Despite the Tennessee Titans taking quarterback Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, former Florida Gators wide receiver Chimere Dike has been their brightest rookie in 2025, as evidenced by the recognition he received on Tuesday. 

For starters, he was named an NFL Pro Bowl starter as the kick returner for the AFC squad on Tuesday based on his production on special teams for Tennessee, becoming the first Titans player to do so since 2010. 

The first Titans rookie since 2010 to be named a Pro Bowl starter @chimdk11 ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/73Atp1sG37

— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 23, 2025

Dike has been a revelation for the Titans on special teams. In 15 games this season, he has logged 60 kickoff returns for a league-leading and franchise record 1,535 kick return yards and 21 punt returns for 382 punt return yards and two touchdowns. 

He has been much more than a special teams player, though. Dike has hauled in 41 of his 65 targets this campaign for 341 yards and four touchdowns. Those numbers are good enough for first on the team in receiving touchdowns and fourth for receiving yards. 

The first-year Titan also became the fourth rookie in NFL history with at least four receiving touchdowns and multiple punt return touchdowns in a season. 

Dike’s efforts in 2025 have forced ESPN to rank him as Tennessee’s No. 1 rookie in 2025. 

“Perhaps the best example of Dike's impact is how he affects the game without touching the ball,” ESPN’s Turron Davenport wrote. “Playcaller Bo Hardegree said he has designed plays with fake end-arounds and jet motions to force defenses out of position when they focus on Dike, allowing a different player to find open space.”

It is not surprising to see the impact Dike is having at the professional level when viewing his numbers with the Gators. 

In his lone season in Gainesville, Dike was responsible for 783 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 42 receptions in 13 games. Additionally, he fielded 14 punt returns for 187 yards. 

While he was not a headliner upon joining, he developed into one of the most impactful and reliable wideouts for the Gators, finishing first on the team in receptions (42) and second in receiving yards (783) and touchdowns (two). 

Moreover, his average of 16.50 yards per punt return in SEC play led the conference. And, he was one of only 23 players in the FBS to record four punt returns of 20 or more yards. 

Dike logged three games as a Gator with 90 or more receiving yards in 2024, too. His best overall outing came against Tennessee in the early parts of October. Although it was not a season high in receiving yards, Dike did haul in four catches for 76 yards and returned two punts for 57 yards. 

The 2026 Pro Bowl Games begin on Tuesday, Feb. 3, and will be broadcast on ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m.