Veteran tight end Tyler Higbee is in his 11th NFL season, and the 33-year-old tight end isn't shy about reminding his teammates what he can still do.
After catching eight passes for 62 yards and a touchdown in the Los Angeles Rams' 30-26 loss to the Denver Broncos in Week 3, Higbee told therams.com he joked with teammates that "the old dog's still got it."
It was a big night for a player whose role had shrunk. Higbee signed a two-year contract extension before the season, with a base value of $6 million that can reach $8 million with incentives and $3.4 million guaranteed. He began the year behind young tight ends Terrance Ferguson and Colby Parkinson, with rookie Max Klare also in the room. Higbee played 19.7% of the offensive snaps in Weeks
1 and 25.8% in 2, where he caught just two passes for 12 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in the season-opener and had no targets against the New York Giants the following week.
Injuries changed that in Week 3. After Ferguson was hurt and Parkinson picked up a shoulder injury, Higbee became Matthew Stafford's primary tight end. He was targeted 11 times and led the Rams with eight catches, including three on the opening drive. His five-yard touchdown gave Los Angeles a 7-0 lead.
"That's what I work for. I work (so) when my number's called, it's to make the play and help this team try to win games, however that may be, whatever my role may be," Higbee said. "Take pride in it, and I come in every day, come in to work, trying to do that. And again, too, you get in the flow of the game, when you are getting some more reps than I have been in the first couple games, I'm out there having fun. I love playing this game, so being able to be in the mix like that, it's fun. I bring the energy, I bring all that, and that comes with being able to get those reps and being in the game plan, talking my stuff and competing."
The score tied him for 10th in franchise history with 28 career receiving touchdowns. He also passed 4,000 career receiving yards and now has 4,023 over 141 games and 396 catches. Through three games, Higbee has 10 catches on 13 targets for 74 yards and a touchdown.
"I mean, if I'm doing my job, that stuff will come. You know what I mean?" Higbee said. "And I don't necessarily think about that kind of stuff, I think about winning football games. That's the No. 1 and foremost. That stuff's cool, I'm grateful for it. It's an honor. But it's not necessarily something I'm chasing."
Higbee will likely be needed again Sunday night at Philadelphia. Ferguson is expected to miss Week 4 with an ankle injury, and Parkinson's status is uncertain. Higbee said it makes no difference to him if his role leans more toward blocking than catching, as long as the Rams win.
"Doing my job the right way and being able to stick around as long as I have has helped me do some of that," Higbee said. "I tell people all the time, 'I'm just the only one that's crazy enough to stick around long enough to achieve some of that stuff.' But yeah, I mean, it's not necessarily something I'm chasing. I like wins, and if I'm doing my job and doing the right things and making plays when I'm supposed to, that stuff will come."
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Tyler Higbee on his big Week 3 performance: 'Old dog's still got it'
