Hunter Henry: New England Patriots New Era ‘Different, Exciting’

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry believes his prowess on and off the field will help rebuild the team’s offense this season, and beyond.

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) / Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

FOXBORO — While the holiday season has long since come and gone, New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry considers this “the most wonderful time of the year.” 

As players arrived for the first phase of the Pats’ offseason program on Monday, the 2023 team captain was among the first to return to Gillette Stadium for the voluntary workout portion of the team’s agenda. 

Having signed a three-year contract worth $27 million (max value of $30 million,) which includes a $350,000 workout bonus, Henry is excited to begin the new year and a new era in Foxboro. 

“It’s been good so far … it’s exciting,” Henry told reporters at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday. “I’m excited to be back, excited to be around the guys. I love this time of year.”

Dec 7, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) / Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

While several of the 50-plus Patriots in attendance have taken to social media to express their excitement for being back in the gridiron saddle, Henry acknowledged that there is a distinct vibe surrounding the team under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo in the post-Bill Belichick era. 

"Things are different for sure.” Henry said with a grin. “They are in the building, already.”

Though Henry took caution in keeping his remarks respectful to Belichick and his numerous contributions to the team, the 29-year-old appears intrigued by the challenge of taking the best of both coaching worlds with him on the field in 2024. 

“There's a lot of good to build on here,” Henry added. “Some things we can carry over and some things we need to change."

Since first signing with the Patriots as a free agent in 2021, Henry quickly became a fan-favorite in New England. Although the Patriots offense has seen far more struggle than success during his three seasons in Foxboro, he emerged as one of their primary scoring targets — compiling 133 catches for 1,531 yards and 17 touchdowns. As such, he quickly became a favorite target of Patriots and Bailey Zappe. 

Despite missing the final three games of last season due to a knee injury, Henry made the most of his first turn as a team captain. He led the positional group with 42 catches for 419 yards and a team-leading six touchdowns. While widely praised for his versatility, he is most productive when playing the traditional “Y” role, accentuating his route-running skills, as well as his ability to box out. He has also proven himself a strong blocker and reliable pass catcher. 

Henry has also been one of the Patriots most-reliable players, suiting up for 48 of 51 games in three seasons. In fact, he had not missed a game for New England until suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs. The injury forced him to miss the only three games of his Patriots tenure. 

Despite the prospect of more lucrative opportunities on the open market, Henry shunned free agency to re-sign with the Pats last month. With the lingering effects of his knee injury seemingly behind him, the Arkansas product is ready, willing and able to play a significant role in helping to restore the Patriots to respectability. In that regard, the eight-year veteran is confident in the Pats’ coaching choice to lead that initiative. 

“I always admired Jerod [Mayo] as a coach, as a person, honestly as a player too,” Henry said. “He's been in our seats and has been exactly where we are. He brings that excitement … that energy."

Though he may have confidence in the Patriots’ new leadership, it was his love for being a Patriot which ultimately brought him back to southern New England. 

"I have a lot of pride in this organization, I wanted to be here,” Henry stated. “I love this area. I love this fan base. I love this organization … I didn't like how last year went, [and really] how the last two years have been. I wanted to be a part of that change and it will be cool to be a part of the ‘new era’ here in New England.”