Tyler Warren fit into the NFL the moment he was selected by the Colts as the 14th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
There were never any questions about the tight end's talents, work ethic or potential; while there is often a learning curve for young tight ends first entering the league, Warren assimilated with ease. Even during rookie minicamp and OTAs, the 23-year-old looked and sounded the part of a confidence, experienced player who was solely focused on playing good football.
So, come Warren's first-ever NFL game, it's no surprise that the rookie looked every bit like a veteran.
In his debut – a 33-8 thrashing of the Miami Dolphins – Warren had seven receptions for 76 yards for an average of 10.9 yards per reception. He barreled through defenders, making a statement with his physicality, got open nearly every time Daniel Jones looked at him and did everything the Colts expected he could do. He even lined up as a fullback and rushed for a first down.
"He was impressive," head coach Shane Steichen said postgame. "He's an old-school throwback, a freaking baller is what he is."
"How about that guy, right? Honestly it could've been even worse but we spread it out so much," wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. Said. "We could've spammed him with targets — he could have 200 yards the way he plays."
For reference, the Colts as a whole registered 272 passing yards. The only player to have more receiving yards than Warren was Pittman with 80.
But Warren and the Colts set the tone early when he was the first recipient of a pass from Jones – a play that involved Warren separating from a defender, turning and catching the pass from behind, then pivoting and running down along the sideline until he was forced down by two Dolphins players.
From there, the Colts were set. Jones knew he could rely on Warren to catch the ball, and the rest of his teammates knew they could count on Warren to block and carry the rest of his responsibilities.
"He's a dangerous guy with the ball in his hands," Jones said. "He's going to make extra yards, he's physical, he's going to go up and make the tough catch...he does a lot for us."
The best way to describe Warren is natural. Everything he does on the field, whether it's getting past a defender, leaping and stretching for a pass or even lining up as a fullback, looks like it's just second nature. And that kind of talent instills confidence not only in Steichen and the Colts, but also in Warren himself.
And so, as he stood in the tunnel surrounded by his teammates before running onto the field at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time, Warren felt a little bit of nerves – anyone would before such an important moment. But he mainly felt prepared and focused, knowing he was going to be able to execute the job he worked so hard to earn.
"Soak it in for the four or five seconds you get, but we've got a job to do," Warren said. "We're out there for a reason."
That's the kind of mindset the Colts knew they were getting with Warren.
He's not a typical rookie, and Sunday showed exactly that.
