Tucker Kraft suffered a shoulder injury during last week’s win over the Tennessee Titans. By then, Green Bay was leading by two points behind schedule in the third quarter and likely could have finished the game without Kraft. However, in his second year, the tight end seemed like he could continue playing, so he did.
“It wasn’t even a question in my head,” Kraft said. “I want to be on the field”
After a brief exit, Kraft returned to the game and even made a tackle after a punt a few plays later. This came after he had already done extensive work as a run blocker.
This is the kind of grubby work you’d expect from a Green Bay tight end. If you’re not catching passes, you’re getting your hands grubby as a blocker or on special teams.
Tight end can be one of the most demanding positions in the game. When you catch a pass, you get tackled like a receiver. When asked to block, you are expected to do so against defensive linemen who may outweigh you by over 30 pounds. Naturally, with all the physicality, injuries happen.
Kraft takes up the challenge and treats it as motivation. After Thursday’s practice, Kraft revealed he has modern inspiration for the people he wants to model his game after.
“Yesterday I went on YouTube and searched for Mark Bavaro, so from now on I will focus on this way of thinking. I will be tough; I’m going to have some fun. Everyone does it,” Kraft said.
Bavaro played nine seasons in the NFL (1985-94) and was considered one of the toughest players in the league due to his playing style and ability to play through injuries. Bavaro’s head coach at Notre Dame, Gerry Faust, even said, “He plays through pain better than any player I’ve seen in my 37 years of coaching.”
Born in 2000, Kraft apparently never saw Bavaro play live. But after hearing about Bavaro from those around him, including Packers special teams coach Rich Bisacci, he decided to check him out.
“A lot of people told me to check him out, especially coach Rich Bisaccia. He said you have to take a look at this guy, so I did and I was amazed,” he said.
Watching Bavaro, Kraft gained respect for his physicality in both the running game and his ability to gain yards after the catch.
“Just being physical, being tough, YAC – that’s really all this guy was concerned about. He set a precedent in the running game, so I’m just trying to channel my inner Bavaro,” Kraft said with a smile.
For the first three games, Kraft does a pretty good job of imitating the retired player. Early in the season, one of his goals was to become one of the run-blocking tight ends in the outside zone. He’s off to a pretty good start as a key factor in the No. 1 offense in the league. Kraft also caught six passes for 76 yards. Following Bavaro’s example, 66 of those yards came after the catch, which ranks sixth among tight ends in the 2024 class, according to Pro Football Focus.
There’s nothing wrong with idealizing players known for their durability, but you also need to be careful when it comes to injuries. Green Bay’s medical staff tends to be cautious when it comes to a player’s health, but will treat a person if they are confident they can protect themselves.
This week in practice, Kraft wore a red non-contact jersey to stay fit ahead of the highly anticipated 3-0 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings. Knowing the skill set he brings to the offense, the Packers won’t risk any long-term injuries to Kraft. Still, they can appreciate his decisiveness and endurance.
