NFL Power Rankings: 30 best TE of all-time

No. 9 Dave Casper, Oakland Raiders

One of the best performers on the legendary Raiders teams of the 70s, Dave “The Ghost” Casper had a talent for showing up in just the right place at just the right time to make a signature play to change a game. He was a five time Pro Bowler and was named All Pro four times. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2012 after a career of steady production punctuated by some of the all time great moments in playoff history.

In the playoffs, Casper was an absolute monster. In nine career games, he had 27 catches, 363 yards and SEVEN touchdowns. He always showed up when the lights shone the brightest.

And speaking of those signature moments … Casper was involved in two of the most hallowed plays in the playoffs.

The first came in the divisional round of the 1977 playoffs against the Colts. Trailing in the fourth quarter, Casper caught a majestic post pattern for 42 yards to set up a game tying field goal to send it into overtime. The Ghost to the Post is an iconic play in the annals of NFL Films. To punctuate his greatness that day, Casper caught the game winning touchdown in the SECOND overtime period.

Of course, that wasn’t even the most famous play of his career. The Holy Roller will forever bedevil Chargers fans and cause Raider nation to smirk with glee. Casper was one of the players deliberately advancing the fumble, in his case kicking it toward the end zone before recovering it himself for the game winning touchdown as time expired.

Next: The No. 8 Tight End in NFL History