PITTSBURGH – Tucker Kraft prayed for nights like this.
Not the career-high 143 receiving yards, two touchdowns or third-most yards after the catch by a tight end in a game since NFL Next Gen Stats became a thing nine years ago.
No, all the 24-year-old tight end has ever wanted was simply the opportunity to help his team win a football game and that's precisely what Kraft did Sunday night against Pittsburgh.
Stepping up in the primetime spotlight on National Tight Ends Day, Kraft plowed through Steelers defender after Steelers defender to help propel the Packers to a 35-25 comeback victory in front of 67,386 at Acrisure Stadium.
The 6-foot-5, 259-pound tight end caught seven of his nine targets for a career-high 143 yards that finished just three shy of Richard Rodgers' team record for receiving yards by a tight end in a regular-season game.
He did so by catching the ball and running as hard as he could through the nearest yellow jersey in front of him.
"Anytime I get the ball in my hands, all I'm thinking about is North-South," Kraft said. "How can I squeeze every amount of yards out of this play. Those opportunities came to me today, and I just executed."
Kraft's presence was appreciated by a Packers' offense that struggled to establish a rhythm early on. After going three-and-out on the first offensive possession, it was Kraft bowling his way into the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown to put Green Bay on the board.
Quarterback Jordan Love hit Kraft for 33 yards on the Packers' next possession, too, but the drive didn't produce any points as Brandon McManus' 57-yard field-goal attempt fell short.
Green Bay fell into a brief doldrum after that series and trailed 16-7 going into halftime. Coming out of the break, Kraft injected much-needed life into the offense when he bullied his way to a 59-yard catch and run on the Packers' first possession of the third quarter.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Kraft gained 36 yards over the expected total on the play.
"I was the main read in that play, (Love) had pressure, he had to get rid of the ball, I just saw that thing floating up in the air," Kraft said. "It reminded me of that Seahawks game (last year) where we had that offsides free play. I just went up, came back, attacked the ball, grabbed it, I just felt a bunch of space and used my off hand, got a couple stiff arms, just kept running."
Kraft caught two more passes on that series before Savion Williams scored his first NFL touchdown on an 8-yard catch to pull the Packers back within a score, 16-14, with 8:48 left in the third quarter.
After Green Bay pulled ahead at the start of the fourth quarter, Kraft helped seal the deal when he took a 24-yard slant to the end zone to push the Packers' lead to 29-19 with 11:04 left.
Of Kraft's 143 yards, NFL Next Gen Stats credited Kraft with 131 yards coming after the catch. Kraft now leads all tight ends in YAC (325) and YAC over expected (plus-108) this season.
"I was a high school running back. I played my first snaps at tight end when I got to college, so I catch the ball and I just try to get to top speed while holding the ball secure," Kraft said.
"It's just something I do in practice every day as soon as I catch the ball. Just simulating the YAC as much as I can, finishing 15, 20 yards on every play in practice."
All told, four of Green Bay's 10 longest plays ran through Kraft. Not a bad way to celebrate National Tight Ends Day.
"Some stuff happens when you're slightly taken aback, but these are just opportunities I've prayed for, being able to help my team like this," Kraft said. "Just making the plays when they come to me, taking everything one play at a time and just trying to stack them, eliminating the bad and moving forward if I do have a bad play."
