If Dallas Cowboys tight end Jake Ferguson was looking for some more motivation headed into the 2026 season, here it is.
ESPN’s annual list of the NFL’s Top 10 tight ends left Ferguson on the outside looking in, as voted on by the league’s executives, coaches, and scouts, and sent a clear message on how the rest of the league views the former Pro Bowler, who was placed among the honorable mentions.
“He’s really solid all around, high catch volume, tough, competes in the run game,” an anonymous NFL executive told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “His problem is fumbling. We targeted trying to get the ball loose when we played him.”
While that’s harsh, it’s also true. Few players in the NFL cough the ball up like Ferguson has in recent years — 7 fumbles in the last 2 seasons after zero fumbles in his 1st 2 seasons.
“Jake Ferguson is officially a liability when it comes to fumbling,” Bloggin’ the Boys Brandon Loree wrote on his official X account toward the end of the 2025 regular season. “Doing it way too often.”
Ferguson’s ‘Nightmare’ End to 2025 Regular Season
When the Cowboys decided to give Ferguson a 4-year, $50 million contract extension in July 2025, they did so expecting to get someone playing at a level that warranted being one of the NFL’s highest-paid players at his position.
Instead, the Cowboys found themselves with a player who seems to be missing the clutch gene. He also just had one of the worst games of his career when his team needed him the most in a 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions in Week 14.
First, Lions linebacker Jack Campbell punched the ball out of Ferguson’s hands to set up a Detroit touchdown. Then, later in the half, Ferguson was called for a hands to the face penalty that cost the Cowboys’ what would have been 1st and goal from the Lions 2-yard-line — essentially a 50-yard penalty.
That drive, Dallas settled for a field goal.
In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys were forced to settle for another field goal after Ferguson was flagged for offensive pass interference running a route into the end zone.
It was the kind of game nightmares are made of for NFL tight ends.
“Brutal Jake Ferguson game again,” NFL draft expert Connor Livesay wrote on X. “Just happening way too often.”
Ferguson’s latest, worst outing also continued a troubling trend of coughing up the ball.
“Jake Ferguson didn’t have a fumble in his first 35 career games,” 105.3-FM The Fan’s Bobby Belt wrote on his official X account. “That’s his 7th fumble in his last 25 games.”
“Jake Ferguson is awful after the catch,” Cowboys Sleeper HQ wrote on its official X account.
Ferguson finished the season with career highs of 82 receptions and 8 touchdowns to go with 600 receiving yards.
Top 10 List Brutal Diss for Jake Ferguson
While the top of ESPN’s list of the best tight ends is pretty unassailable — Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers was No. 1 for the 2nd consecutive season — Ferguson should be offended by some of the tight ends placed ahead of him.
Most notably, the list put 2 players ahead of Ferguson who are coming off serious, season-ending injuries: San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (torn Achilles tendon) and Green Bay Packers tight end Tucker Kraft (torn ACL).
It also puts Ferguson behind 2 players who are headed into just their 2nd seasons with Indianapolis Colts tight end Tyler Warren and Chicago Bears tight end Colston Loveland.
Cowboys’ $50 Million TE Jake Ferguson Singled Out as ‘Liability’