Tyler Warren shares his hopes for Penn State football legacy

One of the greatest players to suit up for Penn State football has taken off the Blue and White for the final time.

Tyler Warren cemented himself in Nittany Lions history this fall. The star tight end set a new Penn State football record with 104 receptions, becoming the first Nittany Lion to ever catch more than 100 passes in a single season. His 1,233 receiving yards in 2024 rank second in program history.

“Penn State gave me the opportunity to compete, learn, and be surrounded by outstanding men and women who had such a large impact on my life,” Warren wrote in a statement released Monday night.

Mackey Award winner Tyler Warren says farewell to Penn State pic.twitter.com/W0KDXl7eWA

— Lyle Alenstein (@LAlenstein) January 14, 2025

Warren finishes his time in Happy Valley as the most productive tight end Penn State has ever had, ranking fifth all-time in career receiving touchdowns (19), ninth in career receptions (153), and 14th in career receiving yards (1,839).

However, all of those accomplishments matter little to Warren when it comes to his legacy within the Penn State football program.

“I hope they just saw me as a great teammate,” Warren said after the Orange Bowl of how he wants to be remembered in the locker room.

Leading Penn State in receiving for the eighth time this year against Notre Dame, Warren surpassed former wide receiver Chris Godwin for the most postseason receptions in school history (23). The Nittany Lions’ top pass catcher in six of the last seven games, including two of the three College Football Playoff contests, Warren was the driving force behind Penn State’s postseason run.

“I’m just glad I just got to do it with the guys in this locker room,” he said of his final weeks as a Nittany Lion.

© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

“Tyler Warren: big gangly kid from Virginia that we recruited as a basketball player and was committed to another school at quarterback, and he shows up here and will go down as one of the greatest tight ends in college football history,” James Franklin said last week.

“Pretty cool to watch his total development, graduate from Penn State, just get better. Should be the first tight end taken in the Draft. Just had a phenomenal experience. I’m proud of him because he’s up to, like, 27 words at Penn State. He hasn’t really said anything.”

Thank you for reading Basic Blues Nation, one of the fastest-growing outlets covering Penn State athletics. Part of the Full Ride network, we are an alumni-owned and operated, credentialed media outlet dedicated to providing you with updated and reliable insights for all your favorite Nittany Lion sports. Whether it’s Penn State football, basketball, wrestling, or anything in between, you can find it all on Basic Blues Nation!

Please follow us on our social channels, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and subscribe to our newsletter on Substack for breaking news and notifications. For feedback, questions, or concerns, please email us at [email protected] or direct message us on social media.