How a basketball scholarship led to an NFL career
In short: Before becoming a professional football tight end, Tyler Conklin was a standout basketball player. His journey from a Division II basketball scholarship to the NFL required a significant mid-college pivot, a weight gain program, and overcoming a fractured foot to reach the highest level of American football.
Tyler Conklin's professional path was not a straight line. Following a productive high school stint at L'Anse Creuse High School - North, including a 22-point performance in a Class A semifinal defeat, he earned a full basketball scholarship to Northwood University (Division II). During seven appearances, he recorded averages of 1.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists, before choosing to switch to football following the fall 2013 term.
His transition to football at Central Michigan University was marked by physical and strategic hurdles. Initially weighing only 195 pounds, Conklin redshirted his first season to add 25 pounds. While the coaching staff initially considered him for defensive end, he successfully advocated to play tight end. His resilience was tested in August 2017 when a Jones Fracture in his left foot sidelined him, but he returned in October 2017 to record career-highs of 10 catches for 136 yards.
Conklin's collegiate performance earned him a spot in the 2018 NFL draft, where the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the fifth round. Since then, his career has spanned multiple franchises. He signed a $21 million contract with the New York Jets in 2022 and later moved to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. Most recently, he joined the Detroit Lions, signing a one-year contract in March 2026 after being released and subsequently re-signed to the roster in September of that year.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tyler Conklin
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