Los Angeles Chargers tight end Charlie Kolar may have just delivered the most refreshing football quote of the year—and it has nothing to do with scoring touchdowns.
During his first media session with the Chargers, the 27-year-old wasted no time earning fans with his old-school appreciation for the game's grit. Fresh off signing a three-year, $24.3 million free-agent deal after four seasons with the Ravens, Kolar made it clear where his heart truly lies: in the trenches.
"There's something so beautiful about you're up by six points, it's like 3rd and 3—you know you're running it," Kolar said with palpable passion. "There's two minutes left in the game, they have no timeouts. You get a first down, the game's over. They know you're running it. Your wife knows you're running it. Their wife knows you're running it. You still run it. That is more satisfying than any touchdown I've ever had. That's one thing I've grown to appreciate in the NFL."
His enthusiasm for the physical side of the game didn't stop there. Kolar shared a memorable analogy about developing his love for blocking, comparing it to trying crème brûlée after meeting his wife—something he didn't always appreciate but has since grown to love. "There will always be a place for physicality in this game," he added.
Interestingly, Kolar entered the NFL primarily as a pass-catcher after a standout college career at Iowa State. But in Baltimore, he found himself behind Pro Bowl tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely in the receiving pecking order. That competition pushed him to evolve into a more complete player, developing his blocking skills to earn playing time.
"I was almost exclusively a receiver" in college, Kolar admitted. But he emphasized that improving one side of his game benefits the other—working on his receiving ability has opened up his blocking, and vice versa.
Though he hasn't been heavily utilized as a pass-catcher, Kolar has proven remarkably efficient when targeted, averaging an impressive 13.6 yards per catch since his rookie season. Now, joining a talented tight end room that includes David Njoku, Kolar is excited to contribute in both the run game and the passing attack—proving that sometimes the most satisfying plays don't even show up in the box score.