The Minnesota Vikings are set to make T.J. Hockenson the highest paid tight end in NFL history according to reports.
The club announced the extension to the media on Thursday, however stopped short of providing financial terms. Sources indicate that the deal is worth $68.5M over 4 years, with $42.5M in guaranteed money. The $17.125M AAV, and guaranteed portion of the contract are both record highs for a tight end.
With his new deal in place, the former Iowa alum displaces Darren Waller ($17M AAV) for sole possession of 1st place on the tight end pay scale.
After joining the Vikings via a mid-season trade with Detroit, Hockenson quickly became a trusted target in Offensive Coordinator Wes Phillips system. The 26 year old posted 60 receptions for 519 yards and 3TDs across 10 appearances with Minnesota.
“Our hopes were that we were acquiring a player that would become a major part of our offense moving forward,” said Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell. “We saw the immediate impact over those 10 games… We’ve been able to build on T.J.’s role here, and really have a great process in the offseason of what it’s really going to look like in our offensive system for a major player like T.J. to be a part of it.”
While an ear infection held back Hockenson for most of training camp and the preseason, the front office opted to act out of an abundance of caution with the newly signed pass catcher in an effort to have him fully healthy for Week 1 of the season.
Minnesota is set to play host to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday September 10th at 1pm ET in their 2023 season opener.
Photo: Myotus. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.