The Indianapolis Colts are not only getting into the spirit of March Madness, but they are also getting experimental with their latest signing of tight end Carson Towt. Just a few weeks ago, Towt was suiting up for the Notre Dame basketball team as a power forward, and now finds himself attempting a sport he has essentially zero experience playing.
Towt arrives at Lucas Oil Stadium after a decorated career on the hardwood. He spent the bulk of his tenure in college at Northern Arizona, where he earned second-team All-Big Sky honors in 2025 while also leading the NCAA in rebounds that season. He transferred to Notre Dame this past season and averaged 5.9 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game. However, the 24-year-old did not play football in high school or in college, so he is as green as the Fighting Irish logo when it comes to his latest endeavor.
That said, this is not an unprecedented pivot, particularly with former basketball players trying their hand at tight end. In fact, Towt gets an example of a tight end making the transition his Colts locker room in Mo Alie-Cox. The 32-year-old veteran played basketball at VCU before signing with Indianapolis as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and recently re-signed with the team earlier this offseason.
Some other notable former basketball players turned NFL tight ends include Pro Football Hall of Famer Antonio Gates (did not play football in college) and five-time Pro Bowler Jimmy Graham (only one year of college football experience).
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Towt acknowledged that he anticipated exploring this possibility at the start of the basketball season.
“I’ve had the itch to play football pretty much all through college,” Towt said. “It’s kind of worked out where my basketball career has come to an end in college, and it’s perfect timing to kind of segue into this transition.”
Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing in at 250 pounds, Towt noted that his frame and athleticism are what give him the confidence to successfully make this transition.
“Just an awareness of my physical gifts that were showcased on the basketball floor,” he said. “I think this sport honors those gifts, and the things that got me to Notre Dame and carried me through my career, and the things I pride myself on, I think this sport honors those things. … I pride myself on dirty work and rebounding, and being physical. So I think football almost honors those a little bit better than basketball does.”
Towt joins a Colts tight end room headlined by rising second-year phenom Tyler Warren and Alie-Cox. After those two, Indy also has Drew Ogletree, Will Mallory, and Sean McKeon, along with Towt, on the 90-man offseason roster.
