Notre Dame football: 10 best players to play in the NFL this past decade
By Matt Clark
Golden Tate passed on playing professional baseball after being drafted out of high school by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2007. Instead, he would forgo a baseball career deciding to play baseball and football at the University of Notre Dame.
Tate started two games for the Irish in the 2007 season as a freshman but would become a starter during his sophomore season, playing in all 12 regular-season games. However, his junior season would be the year that Tate would break out.
During his senior year at Notre Dame, Tate would have 93 receptions for 1,496 receiving yards, and with 15 receiving touchdowns. He would add 25 rushes for 186 yards and two rushing touchdowns. As a result of his huge numbers, he would be named an All-American and would receive the Biletnikoff Award for being the nation’s best college wide receiver.
In 2010, the San Francisco Giants would draft Tate in the Major League Baseball Draft but Tate would instead declare for the 2010 NFL Draft. There he would be selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2nd round with the 60th overall selection.
Tate has gone on to have a very solid career in the NFL, compiling 660 receptions for 7,890 receiving yards and 44 receiving touchdowns in his career playing with the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and most recently New York Giants. He also has 1,084 punt return yards in his career.
Golden Tate was a critical part of Seattle’s Super Bowl Championship run. As a result of his clutch performance throughout the 2013 season, Tate would be rewarded with a five-year $31 million contract with the Lions.
The best year of Tate’s career came in 2014 when he had 99 receptions for 1,331 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns. That year Tate would go on to be named to a Pro Bowl while playing for the Detroit Lions.
Tate has had three 1,000+ receiving yard seasons and has had five seasons with five or more receiving touchdowns. He has been one of the most prolific wide receivers in terms of his yards after catch average. He has certainly been towards the top tier of wide receivers in the league since breaking out in 2012.