How Hunter Henry Has Changed Career Narrative In First Patriots Season

During his five seasons with the Los Angeles Chargers, Hunter Henry earned a reputation as one of the NFL’s best tight ends. In 2019 and 2020, with the days of Rob Gronkowski long over, the Patriots received staggeringly low production from the tight end position.

As last offseason began, one of the Patriots’ top objectives was clear: find a serviceable tight end, one way or another. New England did that in a big way, signing both Jonnu Smith and Henry to lucrative free-agent deals.

Yet, while both signings generated undeniable excitement, the addition of Henry was met with cautious optimism, if not hesitation. And those reactions were fair.

Henry missed time during each of his seasons with the Chargers. The Patriots gave him $24 million guaranteed despite this injury list:

2016: missed one game due to left knee strain and also dealt with a concussion.
2017: missed final two games after suffering a kidney laceration.
2018: tore right ACL during OTAs and missed entire regular season but returned for one playoff game.
2019: missed four games due to tibia plateau fracture to left knee.
2020: missed final two games while on reserve/COVID-19 list.

Fears about Henry seemingly were justified during the summer, when a shoulder injury caused him to sit out most of training camp and all of the preseason. History was repeating itself for the talented but injury-prone tight end.

Well, with 16 games in a Patriots uniform now in the books, Henry — knock on wood — has totally reversed the prevailing narrative about his career, while also playing at a high level.

Henry hasn’t missed a single game or practice this season. He showed up on a Week 12 injury report with a neck issue, and that’s it. Of course, Henry has dealt with the general dings and bruises of playing football, but health otherwise has been a non-factor for the 27-year-old.

As Sunday’s regular season finale against the Miami Dolphins approaches, Henry is in line to do something he never has done: play a full NFL season.

“It means a lot, honestly. It means a lot,” he said Wednesday during a video conference. “You know, I’ve been through my struggles. … I’ve battled my injuries, battled a lot of things that just kept me off the field that, honestly, sometimes were out of my control. They were pretty freak injuries. The kind of stuff… a torn ACL, broken bone; I lacerated my kidney. So, I’ve been through some stuff, some dark days. Missed a lot of games that, you know, I didn’t really wanna miss.

“And that was always kind of a calling card over me, (that) I haven’t played a full season. So, definitely means a lot. It’s always been my goal every single year, going into every year, to be out there for those guys, be out there for my guys every single week. And it’s been fun to be able to do that every single week and be consistent.”

Obviously, suffering and avoiding injuries often comes down to luck, or lack thereof. But Henry believes the work he and the Patriots have done since he signed with New England has helped him stay on the field this season.

“I think I was very motivated coming in here, trying to prove myself,” Henry said. “So, I think this offseason, I trained really hard. And I feel like I got a lot stronger. I think that was one thing, especially lower-body-wise. I also feel like I really changed my body. I lost, honestly, a lot of body fat and made a lot of gains in that aspect. …

“I’m very thankful that I came here because, definitely, the program’s been great and definitely changed my body, and it’s paid off for me week in and week out.”

Asked whether squats and explosion workouts have been part of his routine, Henry added: “Yeah, baby. Squat till you drop, baby. Let’s go. Squat the house. Lots of lower body and lots of lower-body strength is very emphasized.”

We’ve heard Bill Belichick and Patriots players say it thousands of times: “Availability is the best ability.” Henry has provided that this season, but also so much more.

After a feeling-out period with rookie quarterback Mac Jones over the first few weeks, Henry scored his first touchdown in Week 4 and has been New England’s top red-zone threat ever since. He leads all Patriots pass-catchers with nine touchdown receptions, which also are a career-high for the Arkansas native.

Through 16 games, Henry has 45 catches for 517 yards to go along with his nine touchdowns. For the most part, his stats are in line with what he did with the Chargers, though his usage rate hasn’t been quite as high in New England’s run-heavy offense. Henry currently is the ninth-ranked tight end at Pro Football Focus, one spot behind Gronkowski.

Although there remains plenty of work to do, it’s clear that Henry and the Patriots have been a great fit for each other.

“I’ve really enjoyed being here,” Henry said. “I’ve really enjoyed the season, too, and everything that’s come with it. The good, the bad, learning. I feel like I’ve become a better football player — overall, scheme, everything.

“It’s been a pleasure, and I’ve really enjoyed this season more than I probably have almost any other season that I’ve had. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Why Hunter Henry Is Having So Much Fun In First Season With Patriots

Jan 5, 2022

The biggest game of Henry’s career looms on the horizon. He has played in just one playoff contest: the Chargers’ 2018 AFC divisional round loss to the Patriots, a game in which Henry returned from his ACL injury and saw just 14 offensive snaps.

How the Patriots fare in their return to the postseason remains to be seen, but they probably can bank on Henry being out there when gameday arrives. That’s a bet few would’ve taken back in August.