Dalton Schultz: From Stanford Cardinal to NFL Standout

Dalton Chase Schultz, born on July 11, 1996, is an American professional football tight end currently playing for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL). His journey to the NFL began at Bingham High School in South Jordan, Utah, continued through Stanford University, and has seen him become a valuable asset to multiple NFL teams.

Early Years: High School Success

Schultz's athletic talents were evident early on at Bingham High School, where he excelled in both football and basketball. On the football field, he showcased his receiving skills, amassing 76 receptions for 1,120 yards and 12 touchdowns throughout his high school career.

College Career: Stanford University

Schultz's performance in high school earned him a football scholarship to Stanford University. His time with the Stanford Cardinal saw him develop into a well-rounded tight end, known for both his receiving abilities and his blocking prowess.

2015 Season: Sophomore Year

As a sophomore in 2015, Schultz appeared in 14 games and recorded 10 catches for 121 yards and one touchdown. He also contributed on special teams, returning two kicks for 38 yards against Washington State. His first career reception came against Northwestern where he caught one pass for six yards. He also had three catches for 40 yards at USC, one catch for 22 yards vs. Washington, two catches for eight yards, six-yard touchdown catch at Colorado, one catch for 17 yards vs. Oregon and one catch for 22 yards vs.

2016 Season: Junior Year

In 2016, after Austin Hooper declared for the NFL draft, Schultz stepped into the starting role as a junior. He was named to the John Mackey Award watch list. He recorded 23 catches for 222 yards and one touchdown. Some of his notable games included two catches for 20 yards vs. USC, three catches for 24 yards at Washington, two catches for 12 yards vs. Washington State, one catch for 17 yards at Notre Dame, and two catches for 41 yards vs. Rice. His performance earned him All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

2017 Season: Senior Year

Prior to the 2017 season, Schultz was named to the John Mackey Award watch list. In his final year at Stanford, Schultz played in 13 games. He primarily served as a blocker, but also contributed 22 receptions for 212 yards and three touchdowns, placing him fifth on the team in receiving yards. His blocking was instrumental in helping running back Bryce Love rush for 2,118 yards.

College Statistics

Year	Games	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
2015	14	10	121	1
2016	13	23	222	1
2017	13	22	212	3

Academics

Beyond football, Schultz also pursued his academic interests at Stanford. He majored in Science, Technology, and Society, tailoring his coursework to focus on game design. He took computer science classes to learn programming and management science and engineering courses to develop project management skills. He even took communication classes to touch on the marketing side. Schultz's passion for video games extended beyond the classroom. He expressed interest in developing video games, whether on the coding or design side, and even envisioned himself as a professional video game player after his football career.

NFL Career

Dallas Cowboys (2018-2022)

Schultz was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round (137th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.

2018 Season

Initially, Schultz played sparingly, primarily in a blocking role. After tight end Swaim was lost to an injury in Week 11, Schultz passed Jarwin on the depth chart as the starter and was used mostly for blocking purposes. He started seven of the 11 games he played and both playoff contests.

2019 Season

Although tight end Swaim left via free agency, Witten returned to play professional football after spending one season as a Monday Night Football commentator, keeping Schultz as the team's third-string tight end.

2020 Season

In 2020, injuries to Blake Jarwin opened the door for Schultz to showcase his receiving abilities. He started 15 out of 17 games, registering career highs in every statistical category with 78 receptions (second on the team), 808 yards (third on the team) and eight touchdowns (tied for team lead). Schultz had six receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns in the third game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In the next game, he recorded six receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown in the fourth game against the Carolina Panthers. The following week, Schultz had six receptions for 79 yards in the fifth game against the Giants. He made 6 receptions for 53 yards and one touchdown in the tenth game against the Kansas City Chiefs. He had eight receptions for 67 yards and one touchdown in the fourteenth game against the Giants. He made eight receptions for 82 yards and one touchdown in the fifteenth game against the Washington Football Team.

2021 Season

Schultz continued his strong performance in 2021, solidifying his role as a key offensive weapon for the Cowboys.

2022 Season

The Cowboys decided to place the franchise tag on Schultz before the start of the season. The expectation was for Schultz to be close to his 2021 level of play and help reduce the blow of Amari Cooper's departure, but he was not able to achieve the same type of production. He posted 63 receptions for 615 yards and 4 touchdowns. Schultz struggled with a PCL injury he suffered in the fourth quarter of the second game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He reaggravated the injury in the fifth game against the Rams and in the seventh game against the Detroit Lions. Schultz had seven receptions for 62 yards in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He made six receptions for 74 yards in the eighth game against the Chicago Bears. Schultz had four receptions for 31 yards and two touchdowns in the eleventh game against the Giants. He made seven receptions for 62 yards in the thirteenth game against the Houston Texans.

Houston Texans (2023-Present)

2023 Season

On March 24, 2023, Schultz signed a one-year contract as a free agent with the Houston Texans. He was used sparingly during the first four weeks of the season as a backup, but eventually became a trusted target for rookie quarterback C. J. In Week 6 against the New Orleans Saints, Schultz became the third player in franchise history to score a touchdown in three consecutive games. Three weeks later against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he had 10 receptions for 130 yards and one touchdown, becoming the second tight end in club history to record at least 8 catches and 100 receiving yards in a single game (Owen Daniels was the first).

2024 Season

On March 8, 2024, Schultz signed a three-year, $36 million contract extension with the Texans. His production suffered a decline compared to the previous season, with his receiving yards, touchdowns, and average yards per catch decreasing despite playing in two more games.

Read also: The Making of Andy Dalton

NFL Statistics

Year	Team	Games	Receptions	Yards	Touchdowns
2018	DAL	11	6	48	0
2019	DAL	16	1	9	0
2020	DAL	16	63	615	4
2021	DAL	17	78	808	8
2022	DAL	15	57	577	5
2023	HOU	15	59	635	5

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