Tight ends that are used all over the field were once purely a novelty.
Today’s modern football H-back and or hybrid receiver and blocker, was once just a much lighter offensive lineman in deployment. Mike Ditka helped pioneer this movement towards diversifying tight ends but he was almost purely alone in exercise.
In 1961, two tight ends - Ditka and Washington’s Fred Dugan - had more than 50 receptions. Ditka, was of course the only man to eclipse 1,000 yards and double digit scores. That was production simply no one else possessed.
In 2016, 50 receptions is merely a benchmark for “good” but not necessarily “special.