Former Stanford Tight Ends Vying for a Spot in Super Bowl LX

Tight End U is located at Stanford. This weekend, two former Stanford football tight ends will battle it out in their respective conferences for a spot in Super Bowl LX. Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots tight ends Colby Parkinson and Austin Hooper will lay it all on the line for their teams and get them one step closer to eternal NFL glory.

Hooper and Parkinson are just the latest examples of Tight End U products, both spending their college careers at Stanford before blossoming into NFL stars. Parkinson, finishing his sixth season in 2025 with 43 catches for 408 yards and eight touchdowns, enjoyed a breakout season in his first season with the Rams.

He is a key reason why the Rams are in the position they are in, catching the game-winning touchdown in the Rams' wild card win over the Carolina Panthers.

Hooper, the Patriots' backup tight end, played sparingly this season but has brought a veteran presence to the Patriots that has been crucial in helping a young team get one win away from another Super Bowl appearance for the franchise.

Hooper and Parkinson are just two of the long list of former Stanford tight ends that have shined in the NFL. Most notably, Cardinal legend Zach Ertz has three Pro Bowl honors and is the only Cardinal tight end to win a Super Bowl. Other tight ends that have come out of Stanford include Coby Fleener, Dalton Schultz and Kaden Smith.

While the Cardinal have gone through struggles in recent seasons, they are a program with rich history, producing numerous NFL superstars at multiple positions, some of which have gone on to be top NFL draft selections.

The 2025 season showed just how strong a history Stanford football has, with players such as Christian McCaffrey, Parkinson, Ertz, Schultz and Elic Ayomanor producing good seasons for their respective teams, while others such as Paulson Adebo, Bobby Okereke and Justin Reid continued to show that they are among the best at their positions.

But there is no denying that tight ends are a historic position for the Cardinal, with the players that have started for the team at that position over the last decade plus earning a shot in the NFL. Consistency helps, especially with recruiting, and if Stanford needs a new tight end, having a track record of developing them into NFL players will help secure their services.

Sam Roush will be looking to be the latest Cardinal tight end selected in the NFL draft in just a couple of months.

Parkinson's Rams will hit the road to take on the NFC's No. 1 seed, the Seattle Seahawks. A matchup against one of the NFL's best defenses, Parkinson will face a tough challenge. But if he has proven anything during the Ram's playoff run, it's that he is very reliable to make a play when needed.

As for Hooper, his Patriots will host the Denver Broncos, and with the Broncos set to take the field with a backup quarterback, the Patriots enter the game as heavy favorites to be the team to come out of the AFC.

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