Colts' Tyler Warren Already Becoming Culture Setter as a Rookie

If an NFL team is willing to draft a tight end in the top half of the first round, a position not considered of high value, that player is expected to have a substantial impact right away.

Fans of the Indianapolis Colts will not have to worry about that with Tyler Warren. He's already giving Indy more than they could have asked for.

Warren got his first taste of live NFL action when the Colts took on the Baltimore Ravens last Thursday night. In around a quarter of action, Warren continued to prove why those in Indy believe they hit a home run with the No.14 pick. Warren caught all three of his targets for 40 yards in the 24-16 loss.

"I think you just learn the general feel of it," Warren said of his first game experience. "It's a different league, everybody's a professional. So just being out there for the first time, kind of getting that under your belt was good for me."

Warren dominated the competition at Penn State a year ago, becoming one of the most dangerous players after the catch. The John Mackey Award winner was a handful for anyone to bring down, usually requiring multiple defenders on any given tackle attempt. Being a threat after the catch is something Warren feels is essential to the tight end position.

"I think for tight ends especially, being bigger bodies that can break tackles is kind of expected when you do get the ball," Warren explained. "We take pride in that in our room."

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) catches a pass. — Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) catches a pass Friday, July 25, 2025, during training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Warren showed off that ability against the Ravens, failing to be brought down on the first tackle attempt on multiple occasions. While Warren's physicality has been obvious in training camp, seeing it in live game action is a different story.

"I think his physicalness that he brings, obviously watching him in live action last week was phenomenal," head coach Shane Steichen remarked. "Just the way he lowers his shoulder in the open field to get those extra tough yards. The physicality he brings to our football team is going to be phenomenal."

The Colts' coaching staff has been impressed with how quickly Warren has assimilated into the offense and become a weapon over the middle. Warren has already asserted himself as TE1, consuming most of the first-team reps throughout camp. The rookie has made highlight plays on multiple occasions.

But it's not only what Warren has done on the practice field that has impressed the leaders within the building. What Warren has been doing behind closed doors has further strengthened the Colts' conviction in their rookie tight end.

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"He has really been a great rookie," guard Quenton Nelson admitted. "Each day, he comes to work and has his head down and just grinds. After the first camp practice, he's in there doing bicep curls and some shrugs and triceps. I'm like, 'What are you doing, rookie? You trying to make me look bad?'

"He's just been really consistent. He's already shown a lot of toughness and consistency every day. I feel like you don't see the kid have a bad day. You talk to him and he's always like, 'I could do better.' And you just love to see that as someone who is humble and wants to get better each day."

"Some guys are wired like that," Steichen explained. "And from Day 1 since he came in after we drafted him, he was always in the building. He just lived in the building. Him and Riley (Leonard) were there all the time. They were walking through, doing the little things, all of the little things that you want to see in a veteran. And he's been doing that since he's been here and he'll continue to do that."

The work ethic that Warren possesses has pushed others on the team to put in extra time on the field and in the weight room. It is a healthy level of competition that Steichen has strived to enforce since the end of the 2024 season.

Despite being a rookie, Warren is leading by example and reinforcing a standard set by Nelson, DeForest Buckner, and other leaders within the locker room.

Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) tosses a football. — Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren (84) tosses a football Thursday, July 24, 2025, ahead of training camp held at Grand Park in Westfield. | Mykal McEldowney/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"That's just something that I was doing on my own, but there's a bunch of guys that are usually in there after practice doing something," Warren revealed. "Whether it is getting a quick lift in or getting extra recovery stuff. ... We spend a lot of time out here but there's still time for us to find little things to get better at."

While Warren already has a tremendous grasp of what it means to be a pro, there are still things the rookie admits he has to learn. It is easy for a rookie to focus on a particular play that happened in practice and lose sight of the bigger picture. Warren has focused on ensuring that his entire body of work stands out, not just a couple of plays.

"Understanding there's a lot of reps and a lot of things happening in this time so don't linger on one thing, good or bad," Warren stated. "Be able to move onto the next thing. You've got a lot of stuff to prove. There is a lot of reps but you only get so many snaps so make them count. Don't let one bad rep turn into two."

Warren has rarely had a bad rep throughout camp, and the Colts are excited to see what he can do throughout his rookie campaign. If training camp is any indication, Warren's role will be an important one in the Colts' offense this season. But no matter what the team asks him to do, Warren is just ready to be a part of the equation.

"Just the opportunity to help the offense out in whatever that may look like," Warren elaborated. "But it's fun playing with a lot of really good players on this offense so being a piece of that puzzle is really cool and I'm glad I've got the opportunity to do it."

The opportunities will be plentiful for Warren this fall, and the Colts will be a much better team at tight end in 2025 because of it.

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