The New England Patriots have a history of tight ends delivering good performances in the Super Bowl. Could Hunter Henry be the latest player to join that list Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl 60?
Henry has been a reliable target since he first joined the Patriots as a free agent before the 2021 season, and especially over the last two years since franchise quarterback Drake Maye was selected No. 3 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Henry’s 60 receptions and 783 receiving yards both were the second-most on the Patriots in the regular season, and his seven touchdown catches led the team.
Over the last five seasons, only three tight ends have found the end zone more than Henry.
- George Kittle, 49ers: 38 touchdowns
- Mark Andrews, Ravens: 36
- Travis Kelce, Chiefs: 34
- Hunter Henry, Patriots: 26
Henry stepped up in the AFC Wild Card Round versus his former team, the Los Angeles Chargers. He caught three passes for 64 yards, including a 28-yard touchdown grab in the fourth quarter that essentially sealed the victory for New England.
But Henry was not much of a factor in the AFC Divisional Round win over the Houston Texans or the AFC Championship Game victory over the Denver Broncos. He totaled just three receptions for 17 yards and zero touchdowns on five targets over those two matchups.
The Patriots need a much better showing from Henry in Super Bowl 60, and there are reasons to believe that will happen.
The Seahawks have an elite defense — maybe the best in the league. But they don’t dominate versus tight ends. In the regular season, the Seahawks allowed the fifth-most receptions (105) and the sixth-most yards (1,080) to tight ends.
In the playoffs, the Seattle defense gave up five catches for 59 yards to San Francisco 49ers tight end Jake Tonges in the NFC Divisional Round and three catches for 62 yards to Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson in the NFC Championship Game.
Henry also received Pro Football Focus’ fourth-highest receiving grade for a tight end against zone coverage this season, and the Seahawks were fourth in the league in zone coverage rate. Henry’s ability to find the open areas versus zone defenses could play a pivotal role in the Patriots offense’s ability to move the ball and pick up key first downs.
Glenn Gleason/NBC Sports Boston
Glenn Gleason/NBC Sports Boston Hunter Henry made a first down on a career-high 42 of his 60 receptions this season.
The Patriots have scored a touchdown on just two of their six trips inside the red zone in the playoffs. The Seahawks had the fourth-best red zone defense in the regular season, but they allowed the Rams to score two touchdowns in the red zone during the NFL title game.
Henry has the size (6-foot-5, 249 pounds) and pass-catching ability to make a huge impact in that area of the field. His 122 receiving yards in the red zone were the second-most of any tight end in the regular season. His 21 red zone targets ranked third-most among tight ends, and five of his seven touchdowns came inside the 20-yard line.
Settling for field goals and not scoring touchdowns in the red zone could be the difference in this game. The Patriots can’t afford to kick field goals versus a Seahawks team that scored the third-most points per game (28.4) in the regular season and the most points per game (36) in the playoffs. Henry getting open and giving Maye a target in that part of the field will be crucial.
The Patriots offense has struggled in the playoffs. In fact, their 54 points in three games are the fewest for a team that made the Super Bowl after playing in the Wild Card, Divisional and conference title game rounds.
If the Patriots are going to be more prolific against the Seahawks in Super Bowl LX, they need Henry to have his best game of the season and punish Seattle’s zone coverage.
