The New England Patriots are keeping one of Drake Maye’s most trusted targets in Foxborough. The team and tight end Hunter Henry agreed to a two-year contract extension Monday, locking up the 31-year-old veteran who had entered the final year of his previous deal.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport first reported the agreement, according to CBS Boston. ESPN’s Adam Schefter followed with the numbers: a two-year, $16 million deal that can max out at $20 million with incentives, including $14.5 million guaranteed and a $4.2 million signing bonus, per ESPN.
The Patriots made it official on social media Monday morning, posting a photo of Henry signing the deal at Gillette Stadium with the caption “Hunt’s here to stay.”
A Career Year Earns a New Deal
Henry didn’t just stick around. He got better. Playing all 17 games in 2025, he caught 60 passes for 768 yards and seven touchdowns — a career high in receiving yards. He added nine catches for 112 yards and a score as New England reached Super Bowl LX, according to WHBL.
He’s been the model of durability since arriving in New England’s 2021 free-agent class. Henry has played in 81 of a possible 85 regular-season games and all five postseason contests, per Yahoo Sports. This is his third contract with the team, following an initial three-year, $37.5 million deal in 2021 and a three-year, $27 million extension in 2024.
| Category | Patriots Career Total | Patriots Rank (TE) |
|---|---|---|
| Receptions | 259 | 3rd all-time |
| Receiving Yards | 2,973 | 4th all-time |
| Touchdowns | 26 | 4th all-time |
Those numbers put him behind franchise legends Rob Gronkowski and Ben Coates, and he’s on pace to pass Russ Francis on the touchdown list this season, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub.
Why New England Made the Move
Head coach Mike Vrabel didn’t hide his appreciation for Henry’s game. “Anything that you ask him to do, it comes very easy and he’s very instinctive and he’s got a good feel for the game,” Vrabel said, according to ESPN. “Those are all positives, and I think that leads to his consistency.”
The timing matters. New England’s tight end room took a hit this offseason when free-agent addition Julian Hill tore his ACL in spring practices, per ESPN. That leaves Henry as the clear veteran anchor alongside 2026 third-round pick Eli Raridon, with undrafted rookie Tanner Arkin now in the mix to fill the blocking role Hill was expected to handle.
Keeping Henry also gives Drake Maye a security blanket as the young quarterback enters a season with real expectations. Henry was Maye’s second option in the passing game last year behind Stefon Diggs, and he’ll now compete for targets alongside newly added weapons A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Locking in a proven veteran presence — Henry has been a team captain for three straight years — gives Maye continuity at a position where chemistry matters.
