Pats Pulpit
The New England Patriots went on a shopping spree during the 2021 offseason, but four years later only a handful of the players brought in remain. Among them is Hunter Henry, who continues to be a core member of the team’s offense and along the way has become one of the most prolific tight ends in franchise history.
In 2025, Henry has been on the field for 214 offensive snaps — more than any other of the Patriots’ skill position players — and been the target of a team-high 24 passes. His involvement did not happen by accident either; offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels knows how valuable the 30-year-old is to the operation and that he is a player worth putting trust into.
“Those guys are irreplaceable,” said McDaniels about Henry. “Not only do they show up every day with a great mindset and attitude and show everybody else how to go about working at this level, but you know he’s competitive. He’s intelligent. He’s a great teammate. He’s a really, really good leader. He’s a great influence on everybody, starting with the guys in the locker room. Very dependable.”
McDaniels and Henry first joined forces in 2021, when the former was in his final year with the Patriots before departing for his ill-fated stint as head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. Back then, Henry already was among the team’s most reliable players: he finished his first year in New England with 50 catches for 603 yards and nine touchdowns.
This year, with McDaniels back in the fold in his old role as OC, Henry is on pace to beat those numbers. Through four games, he has caught 15 passes for 204 yards and three scores, putting him on a 64-867-13 trajectory.
Even if he does not keep up the pace, though, he has shown that regardless of his surroundings Henry continues to be a tone setter in New England.
“You can trust that he’s going to know what to do and do it the way you ask him to do it,” said McDaniels. “He does a lot of things well. He’s a really good football player and I feel fortunate to have another opportunity to coach him.”
