Five of Hunter Henry's seven catches went for touchdowns or first downs in the Patriots' win over the Bengals on Sunday.
Five of Hunter Henry's seven catches went for touchdowns or first downs in the Patriots' win over the Bengals on Sunday.Dylan Buell/Getty
CINCINNATI — Austin Hooper is a quiet guy, so when he says something, you really have to lean in and listen.
But when he talks about fellow tight end Hunter Henry, Hooper can become downright animated. Such was the case in the visitors’ locker room after Sunday’s dramatic 26-20 win over the Bengals. As Henry went off to meet with the media, Hooper sat on his stool, peeled off his gear, and marveled at the career arc of Henry.
“There are all these other great players who played in New England at the position. So he gets taken for granted,” Hooper said of the 30-year-old Henry, who had seven catches for a career-high 115 yards and a touchdown in the victory.
“It’s like he’s been Mr. Consistent here,” Hooper added of Henry, who is on pace for his seventh consecutive season of 40-plus catches and at least 68 percent of the offensive snaps.
Henry, one of the few remaining players from New England’s last playoff team in 2021, endured the misery of back-to-back four-win seasons the last two years. He’s come out the other side with the Patriots on the cusp of the postseason once again. New England is 10-2 and the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture with the post-Thanksgiving stretch set to begin.
“When times have been tough in this franchise, he’s always found a way to separate himself,” Hooper said. “He has the ability to motivate not just himself, but the others around him.
“The ability, everyone can see. But it’s stuff like that, that not every good player does, unless they have the right hand of cards, so to speak,. I really got to see what he was about last year when we had four wins. We weren’t a 10-win team. So nothing that he’s doing this year has surprised me. I’ve seen it when it’s hard.”
On an afternoon when the Patriots suffered a rash of injuries in all three phases — several of which figure to have a long-term impact — Henry persevered with a career-best day that included several impact plays. The first came when quarterback Drake Maye found him on a 28-yard touchdown catch where he appeared so wide open, he may have materialized out of a puff of smoke near the goal line.
Drake Maye finds a wide open Hunter Henry for Pats touchdown!
NEvsCIN on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXVnt pic.twitter.com/TKoL4G3sMA
— NFL (@NFL) November 23, 2025
“It was a pretty good scheme by Josh [McDaniels] and the whole coaching staff. Just caught them at the right time,” Henry said. “It takes [everyone]. Guys to run their routes who clear things out. And the spacing was good.”
It was New England’s first touchdown of the afternoon, and provided a jolt for a team that desperately needed it. It’s not a stretch to suggest the Patriots wouldn’t have won their ninth straight game without a sizable boost from the veteran in key moments. Five of Henry’s seven catches went for either a touchdown or first down, and four of his catches were among the Patriots’ 10 longest plays from scrimmage.
“I take a lot of pride in what I do. I work extremely hard at my craft, and at this game,” Henry said. “I put a lot of hours into this, and a lot of hours with Drake, too. And it’s cool to go out there, make some plays, both me and Hoop, and be able to provide a little bit of spark.”
Of course, Hooper also was a fundamental element to the success of the offense against the Bengals. Second on the team with three catches (on four targets) for 39 yards, his complementary play alongside Henry has been a big part of the growth and evolution of Maye.
“I feel like we can do so many of the same things on the field, and we see the game the same way, too,” Henry said of Hooper, who played his 150th NFL game. “And now, you know, stacking all these games together, we just kind of see it the same.”
“Those guys are playmakers,” wide receiver Stefon Diggs said. “I remember saying we’ve got a lot of guys on offense that could make plays. I wasn’t just talking about the receivers. Those guys play at a high level.”
Patriots tight end Austin Hooper had three receptions for 39 yards in Sunday's win over the Bengals.
Patriots tight end Austin Hooper had three receptions for 39 yards in Sunday's win over the Bengals.Jay LaPrete/Associated Press
After the game, head coach Mike Vrabel singled out Diggs for serving as a blocker for Henry. Diggs said they made it easy.
“Hoop’s been in the league a long time. Hunt’s been in the league a long time,” Diggs said. “Those guys have got a knack for getting open and making plays. So I wasn’t too surprised about it. It was just me just doing my job.
“You know, they get me open too. So it’s just one hand that washes the other.”
Both Henry and Hooper are over 30, which means tight end is likely a sneaky important priority for the Patriots this offseason. But to hear Henry tell it, between now and then, there’s a lot more work to be done.
“Just to be here with this team now, I take a lot of pride in it,” Henry said with a sigh. “It’s been a fun ride, but I’m excited for the journey ahead.”
Christopher Price can be reached at christopher.price@globe.com. Follow him on Bluesky at christopherprice.bsky.social.