Tyler Boyd (American football) facts for kids

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Tyler Boyd

Boyd with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2020

No. 83 – Tennessee Titans

Position:

Wide receiver

Personal information

Born:

November 15, 1994 (age 30)
Clairton, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Height:

6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)

Weight:

203 lb (92 kg)

Career information

High school:

Clairton

College:

Pittsburgh (2013–2015)

NFL Draft:

2016 / Round: 2 / Pick: 55

Career history

Cincinnati Bengals (2016)
Tennessee Titans (2024–present)

Roster status:

Active

Career highlights and awards

2× First-team All-ACC (2014, 2015)
Second-team All-ACC (2013)

Career NFL statistics as of 2024

Receptions:	552
Receiving yards:	6,390
Receiving touchdowns:	31

Player stats at PFR

Tyler Alexander Boyd, born on November 15, 1994, is an American professional football player. He plays as a wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans in the National Football League (NFL). Before joining the NFL, he played college football at the University of Pittsburgh. The Cincinnati Bengals chose him in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft.

Early Life and High School Football

Tyler Boyd grew up in Clairton, Pennsylvania. He went to Clairton High School, where he became one of the best football players in Western Pennsylvania history. He set a record with 117 career touchdowns. He also gained 5,755 rushing yards, making him the fifth-leading rusher in WPIAL history.

Boyd played many different positions for Clairton. He was a running back, wide receiver, quarterback, defensive back, and punt returner. During his three years as a starter, his team won every game, going 48–0. Over his four years on the varsity team, they had an amazing record of 63–1. They also won four WPIAL and four PIAA Class A championships.

In his senior year, Boyd rushed for 2,584 yards and scored 43 touchdowns. He also had 295 receiving yards from just 13 catches. He led the WPIAL in scoring with 51 total touchdowns and 345 points. Boyd was chosen to play in the Big 33 Football Classic game. He was named the game's MVP after scoring five touchdowns. Boyd also played basketball and baseball in high school.

Boyd at the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl

After his senior year, Boyd was picked to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio. During the live TV broadcast, he announced he would attend the University of Pittsburgh. Experts like Rivals and ESPN listed him as a top national prospect. He was also ranked as one of the best wide receivers in the country.

College Football Career

Tyler Boyd played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He made a big impact from his very first year.

Freshman Season (2013): Breaking Records

In 2013, as a first-year player, Boyd was the best freshman receiver in the country. He set new Pitt freshman records for receptions (85) and receiving yards (1,174). These records were previously held by the famous player Larry Fitzgerald. Boyd had five games where he gained over 100 receiving yards. He also set an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record for most receptions by a freshman.

Boyd won several awards for his great performances. For example, in a game against Duke, he had eight catches for 154 yards and three touchdowns. In another game against New Mexico, he had 134 receiving yards and scored a touchdown. He was known for making amazing catches and plays. Boyd was named an All-ACC player and a Freshman All-American.

He ended his freshman season with a fantastic game in the 2013 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. He gained 242 all-purpose yards, helping Pitt win. He had 173 receiving yards, which was a new Pitt bowl record. He also returned a punt for a 54-yard touchdown.

2013 season breakdown
			Receiving					Rushing
Date	Opponent	Result	Rec	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs	Att	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs
9/2	Florida State	L 13–41	2	26	13.0	17	0	3	54	18.0	20	0
9/14	New Mexico	W 49–27	6	134	22.3	51	1	2	39	19.5	33	1
9/21	@Duke	W 58–55	8	154	19.3	69	3	0	0	0.0	0	0
9/28	Virginia	W 14–3	7	111	15.9	37	0	2	5	2.5	4	0
10/12	@Virginia Tech	L 19–9	2	20	10.0	51	0	1	3	3.0	3	0
10/19	Old Dominion	W 35–24	6	46	7.7	9	0	1	5	5.0	5	0
10/26	@Navy	L 24–21	3	35	11.7	21	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
1+1⁄2	@Georgia Tech	L 21–10	11	118	10.7	15	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
11/9	Notre Dame	W 28–21	8	85	10.6	17	0	1	8	8.0	8	0
11/16	North Carolina	L 34–27	5	92	18.4	37	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
11/23	@Syracuse	W 17–16	10	82	8.2	16	0	1	−6	−6.0	0	0
11/29	Miami (FL)	L 41–31	9	98	10.9	19	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
12/26	vs. Bowling Green	W 30–27	8	173	21.6	62	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
2013 totals			85	1,174	13.8	62	7	11	108	9.8	33	1

Sophomore Season (2014): All-Purpose Threat

In his second year, Boyd continued to be a key player for Pitt. He was great at catching passes and returning kicks. He finished the season with 78 catches for 1,261 yards and eight touchdowns. His 78 catches were the third most in a single season for Pitt.

Boyd had six games with over 100 receiving yards. He was second in the ACC for receiving yards per game. He also led the ACC in kickoff return average. He was named ACC Receiver of the Week for a game against Syracuse. He also won ACC Specialist of the Week for his all-purpose yards against Miami (FL).

2014 season breakdown
			Receiving					Rushing
Date	Opponent	Result	Rec	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs	Att	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs
8/30	Delaware	W 62–0	2	18	9.0	12	1	2	17	8.5	12	0
9/5	@Boston College	W 30–20	5	72	14.4	41	2	2	23	11.5	19	0
9/13	@FIU	W 42–25	4	50	12.5	19	1	1	−7	−7.0	0	0
9/20	Iowa	L 24–20	10	153	15.3	39	0	2	4	2.0	6	0
9/27	Akron	L 21–10	6	72	12.0	19	0	1	10	10.0	10	0
10/4	@Virginia	L 24–19	3	63	21.0	34	0	2	8	4.0	6	0
10/16	Virginia Tech	W 21–16	6	86	14.3	53	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
10/25	Georgia Tech	L 56–28	9	137	15.2	23	0	1	3	3.0	3	0
11/1	Duke	L 51–48^2OT	7	140	20.0	48	0	0	0.0	0	0
11/15	@North Carolina	L 40–35	5	160	32.0	50	1	1	5	5.0	5	0
11/22	Syracuse	W 30–7	7	126	18.0	49	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
11/29	@Miami (FL)	W 35–23	5	72	14.4	28	1	0	0	0.0	0	0
1/2	vs. Houston	L 35–34	9	112	12.4	24	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
2014 totals			78	1,261	16.2	53	8	12	63	5.3	19	0

Junior Season (2015): Final College Year

Boyd during the 2015 Military Bowl

In his junior year, Boyd continued to be a strong receiver. He had 91 receptions for 926 yards and six touchdowns. He also showed his versatility by rushing for 349 yards. This season helped him prepare for the NFL.

2015 season breakdown
			Receiving					Rushing
Date	Opponent	Result	Rec	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs	Att	Yards	Avg	Long	TDs
9/5	Youngstown State	W 45–37	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
9/12	@Akron	W 24–7	11	95	8.6	26	0	1	−6	−6.0	−6	0
9/19	@Iowa	L 27–24	10	131	13.1	36	1	2	7	3.5	5	0
10/3	@Virginia Tech	W 17–13	5	48	9.6	11	0	0	0	0.0	0	0
10/10	Virginia	W 26–19	7	54	7.7	22	1	1	7	7.0	7	0
10/17	@Georgia Tech	W 31–28	8	68	8.5	18	2	5	26	5.2	9	0
10/24	@Syracuse	W 23–20	12	93	7.8	24	0	6	34	5.7	11	0
10/29	North Carolina	L 26–19	10	89	8.9	19	0	2	8	4.0	6	0
11/7	Notre Dame	L 42–30	3	84	28.0	51	1	3	42	14.0	37	0
11/14	@Duke	W 31–13	3	38	12.7	21	0	8	79	9.9	27	0
11/21	Louisville	W 45–34	11	103	9.4	35	1	4	50	12.5	24	0
11/27	Miami (FL)	L 29–24	5	70	14.0	36	0	3	47	15.7	30	0
12/28	vs. Navy	L 44–28	6	53	8.8	15	0	5	55	11.0	21	0
2015 totals			91	926	10.2	51	6	40	349	8.7	37	0

College Statistics Overview

Tyler Boyd had an impressive college career at Pittsburgh. He finished with over 3,300 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh Panthers
Season	Receiving				Rushing
Season	Rec	Yards	Avg	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	TD
2013	85	1,174	13.8	7	11	108	9.8	1
2014	78	1,261	16.2	8	12	63	5.3	0
2015	85	926	10.3	6	35	294	8.4	0
Career	248	3,361	13.3	21	58	465	8.0	1

Professional NFL Career

Before the NFL Draft, experts thought Boyd would be a second-round pick. He was ranked as one of the top wide receivers available.

Pre-draft measurables
Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand size	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split	20-yard shuttle	Three-cone drill	Vertical jump	Broad jump	Bench press
6 ft 1+1⁄2 in (1.87 m)	197 lb (89 kg)	32 in (0.81 m)	9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m)	4.58 s	1.59 s	2.66 s	4.35 s	6.90 s	34 in (0.86 m)	9 ft 11 in (3.02 m)	11 reps
All values from NFL Combine

Cincinnati Bengals (2016–2023)

The Cincinnati Bengals picked Tyler Boyd in the second round of the 2016 NFL draft. He was the seventh wide receiver chosen that year.

2016 Season: Rookie Year

On May 16, 2016, Boyd signed a four-year contract with the Bengals. He started as the third wide receiver on the team. In his first game, he caught two passes for 24 yards. Later, he had six catches for 78 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On November 20, 2016, Boyd scored his first career touchdown against the Buffalo Bills. He finished his rookie season with 54 catches for 603 yards and one touchdown.

2017 Season: Key Playoff Moment

In 2017, Boyd had a knee injury that made him miss four games. In Week 17, he made a huge play against the Baltimore Ravens. He caught a touchdown pass with less than a minute left. This score gave the Bengals a 31–27 lead and won the game. This win also helped the Buffalo Bills make the playoffs for the first time in many years.

2018 Season: Breakout Performance

The 2018 season was a breakout year for Boyd. In Week 3, he had six catches for 132 yards and a touchdown. He continued to play well, including a game with 11 catches for 100 yards. In Week 6, he scored two touchdowns against the Steelers. Unfortunately, he got injured in Week 15 and missed the rest of the season. He finished as the Bengals' top receiver with 76 catches for 1,028 yards and seven touchdowns.

2019 Season: Contract Extension

Boyd playing against the Browns in 2019

On July 23, 2019, Boyd signed a new four-year contract with the Bengals. This kept him with the team until the 2023 season. He had another strong year, with 10 catches for 122 yards against the San Francisco 49ers. He also had 10 catches for 123 yards and a touchdown against the Arizona Cardinals. Boyd finished the 2019 season with 90 catches for 1,046 yards and five touchdowns.

2020 Season: Continued Production

In 2020, Boyd continued to be an important part of the Bengals' offense. He caught a touchdown pass in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns. He also had 10 catches for 125 yards in a tie game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In Week 7, he had 11 catches for 101 yards and a touchdown. He finished the season with 79 catches for 841 yards and four touchdowns.

2021 Season: Super Bowl Appearance

In 2021, Boyd was part of a strong group of receivers, including Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He ended the season with 67 catches for 828 yards and five touchdowns.

In the playoffs, Boyd caught a touchdown in the Wild Card Round against the Las Vegas Raiders. The Bengals won and kept advancing. In the AFC Championship Game, the Bengals beat the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime. This win sent them to Super Bowl LVI, their first Super Bowl since 1988. In the Super Bowl, Boyd had five catches for 48 yards, but the Bengals lost to the Rams.

2022 Season: More Big Plays

In Week 3 of the 2022 season, Boyd had four catches for 105 yards and a touchdown against the Jets. In Week 7, he had eight catches for 155 yards and a touchdown against the Falcons. He played in 16 games, finishing with 58 catches for 762 yards and five touchdowns.

2023 Season: Final Year with Bengals

In his last season with the Bengals, Boyd played in all 17 games. He finished with 67 catches for 667 yards and two touchdowns.

Tennessee Titans (2024–Present)

2024 Season: New Team

On May 13, 2024, Tyler Boyd signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He joined his former offensive coordinator from the Bengals, Brian Callahan, who became the Titans' head coach. He played in 16 games, catching 39 passes for 390 yards.

NFL Career Statistics

Legend
Bold	Career high

Regular season

Year	Team	Games		Receiving						Rushing					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2016	CIN	16	2	81	54	603	11.2	30	1	4	58	14.5	39	0	1	1
2017	CIN	10	1	32	22	225	10.2	49T	2	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2018	CIN	14	14	108	76	1,028	13.5	49	7	2	3	1.5	5	0	0	0
2019	CIN	16	15	148	90	1,046	11.6	47	5	4	23	5.8	10	0	2	2
2020	CIN	15	8	110	79	841	10.6	72T	4	5	49	9.8	25	0	1	0
2021	CIN	16	10	94	67	828	12.4	68	5	2	22	11.0	14	0	1	0
2022	CIN	16	14	82	58	762	13.1	60	5	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
2023	CIN	17	13	98	67	667	10.0	64	2	2	11	5.5	6	0	0	0
2024	TEN	16	8	57	39	390	10.0	40	0	1	3	3.0	3	0	0	0
Career		136	85	810	552	6,390	11.6	72T	31	19	166	8.7	39	0	5	3

Postseason

Year	Team	Games		Receiving						Rushing					Fumbles
Year	Team	GP	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Att	Yds	Avg	Lng	TD	Fum	Lost
2021	CIN	4	3	20	15	110	7.3	16T	1	1	3	3.0	3	0	0	0
2022	CIN	3	3	7	6	89	14.8	24	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0	0
Career		7	6	27	21	199	9.5	24	1	1	3	3.0	3	0	0	0

Images for kids

Boyd at the 2013 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
Boyd during the 2015 Military Bowl
Boyd playing against the Browns in 2019

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