It’s been a largely forgettable year for the Carolina Panthers, but Greg Olsen is still doing his part. The Panthers tight end has just pulled off a feat not accomplished by any tight end in NFL history—not Rob Gronkowski, not Tony Gonzalez, not Shannon Sharpe, not anybody. Olsen has recorded three straight years of 1,000 yards receiving, the first time any tight end has done so.

Olson’s three years still trail the four nonconsecutive years of 1,000 yards notched by Gonzalez and Jason Witten. But considering how integral a part he is of Carolina’s offense, it’s likely that will fall in the next year or two.

The fact that Olsen was the first to notch this consecutive-season record is a testament to the ever-increasing importance of the tight end in the NFL game. It’s also a testament to the fact that Rob Gronkowski —who is already, we can safely say, one of the legendary tight ends in NFL history — can’t stay on the field because of injury. (Gronkowski had 540 yards this season in eight games.)

This is to take nothing away from Olsen, who has established himself as the most reliable of Cam Newton’s receivers. Trust is an essential commodity in a QB-receiver relationship, and Olsen has proven time and again that he deserves Newton’s.

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