Dallas Goedert enjoying red zone chances on brink of franchise record

Dallas Goedert enjoying red zone chances on brink of franchise record originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Dallas Goedert had never scored a ton of touchdowns in his NFL career.

Until now.

This season, the Eagles 30-year-old tight end has been a big-time threat in the low red zone and after scoring two more touchdowns against the Raiders on Sunday afternoon has a career-high nine in 2025. Goedert's previous career-high was just five.

We've had different things for me in the red zone throughout my career here," Goedert said on Tuesday. A lot of them just haven't gotten called. Once they started calling them, I try to make sure they work so they can keep designing and calling other ones. Anytime you go in the huddle and hear that play, knowing you have the opportunity to get in the end zone, it gets you kind of excited for sure."

In his first seven seasons in the NFL, Goedert had just 24 total touchdown catches, averaging 3.4 per season. Eight different tight ends league-wide had more touchdowns during that span, led by Travis Kelce with 55.

It's not that Goedert wasn't capable in the red zone. It's just that those plays weren't getting called very often.

This year, they are.

As a tight end, you like to score," Goedert said. As I said before, we've had different philosophies throughout my time here, whether we run the ball down there, we were so efficient at running whip for a while, inside zone, running backs had a lot of touchdowns. And then we got to the 1 (yard line) a lot and Jalen (Hurts) had a lot of success with the quarterback sneak. Now it seems like we're getting to the 2, 3-yard line, kind of where my packages are."

Goedert on Sunday had two touchdown catches against the Raiders and had an opportunity for a third but dropped a gimme pass in the end zone.

That one hurts," Goedert said.

Had Goedert caught that one, he would have tied an Eagles legend. Pete Retzlaff caught 10 touchdown passes in 1965 and that still stands as the Eagles' record for touchdowns in a single season for a tight end.

Pete Retzlaff (1965): 10
Dallas Goedert (2025): 9
Zach Ertz (2017, 2018): 8
Brent Celek (2009): 8
Pete Retzlaff (1961, 1964): 8

It's pretty cool," Goedert said. Anytime you can break a record, obviously things are going well for you. Obviously, winning is the most important thing and I want to do whatever I can to help win. If they're giving me the ball down there, I'm going to try to score. It would be a cool thing to have."

This is a big season for Goedert, who stayed with the Eagles this offseason after it looked like the two sides were headed for a split. Ultimately, Goedert agreed to a one-year restructured contract and will become a free agent after 2025. Goedert this season has 54 catches for 551 yards and 9 touchdowns and has played 13 of 14 games.

While Goedert is a big target in the red zone, many of his touchdowns this season have been schemed up with shovel or misdirection passes behind the line of scrimmage, which allow Goedert to use his yards-after-catch ability.

It's not hard to figure out why the Eagles are giving Goedert those chances.

I mean, the way he runs with the ball in his hands," Hurts said.

So many of those plays are set up earlier in games and then the Eagles utilize misdirection. Goedert pointed out that it definitely helps to have two running threats in the backfield with Hurts and Saquon Barkley.

But whenever the Eagles call one of those plays for Goedert, he tries to take advantage.

I think when I get a ball in my hand down there, I'm tough to tackle," he said. I can find my way in, fight my way in. Our red zone philosophy has changed a little bit. We used to run the ball a lot, a lot of quarterback sneaks, things like that down there. We've tried to find ways to get me the ball, which is really cool. I'm going to keep trying to make them work."