Olsen 'trying like hell' to beat Gronk to TE record
The race is on.
Heading into the 2016 season, a pair of star pass-catchers will have the opportunity to set a tight end record with a third consecutive season posting 1,000 receiving yards.
Greg Olsen is admittedly doing everything he can to beat Rob Gronkowski to the punch.
"The simple answer is yeah, I would love to be the first guy," Olsen said, according to the Carolina Panthers' official website. "I'm trying like hell, trust me. It's not something that I take lightly, and it's not something that is just going to happen because it happened the last two years.
"A lot of things need to go my way - I need to stay healthy, I need opportunities, the offense needs to click."
Easily two of the most reliable playmakers in the game today, it's entirely possible that both players top the 1,000-yard mark if they're able to remain healthy throughout the year.
At that point, this could instead become a lengthy battle to see just how far one of the two can take it.
Olsen's consecutive 1,000-yard seasons easily makes for the strongest stretch of his nine-year career. He's enjoyed a massive bump in production over his five seasons in Carolina, hauling in 348 receptions for 4,311 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Gronkowski, meanwhile, finds himself on a historic pace through six years to start his NFL career. The New England Patriots standout enters the fall already having racked up 380 receptions for 5,555 yards and 65 touchdowns, with the latter mark putting him on pace to challenge Tony Gonzalez's all-time tight end scoring record.
- With h/t to CBS Sports