Hunter Henry ends limbo, signing a 2-year extension with Patriots through 2027

BOSTON (AP) — One of Patriots quarterback Drake Maye’s favorite offensive targets isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Tight end Hunter Henry confirmed Monday that he signed a two-year extension to remain in New England through the 2027 season.

ESPN and the NFL Network reported that the extended pact has a base value of $16 million with incentives that could push it up to $20 million.

It ends a period of limbo for Henry, who was about to enter the final season of the previous three-year extension he signed in 2024.

“It means a lot,” Henry said. “They Kraft family has taken me in. They’ve been so good to me and my family, giving me a chance kind of in the middle of my career and we’ve just appreciated it kind of the whole time.”

Signed as a free agent in 2021 following his four-year run with the Los Angeles Chargers, Henry has seen both ends of the success spectrum during his run with the Patriots.

In his first season in New England, Henry was part of former coach Bill Belichick’s final playoff appearance with the team, which ended with a quick wild-card round exit.

He then endured a three-year postseason drought that included back-to-back 4-13 finishes. Last season, Henry was a big part of the reason Maye finished second in MVP voting during New England’s run to the Super Bowl under new coach Mike Vrabel.

Henry led the team with seven receiving touchdowns in 2025 and his 60 catches and 768 yards were second only to Stefon Diggs.

Along the way Henry developed a close relationship with Maye off the field, a major factor in him wanting to remain in New England.

“I mean, that definitely helps,” Henry said. “Drake is a good friend of mine, obviously a great quarterback. Just excited to continue to build with him.”

Maye almost immediately reposted the team’s Instagram announcement showing Henry signing his new contract.

“We kind of talked about it a little bit,” Henry said. “That’s my guy and just a special person. Just a guy that, we’ve grown really close to over the last few years and excited to kind of build that relationship off the field, but also on the field.”

Henry’s durability almost certainly was a factor in the Patriots wanting to keep him around. He started 16 regular season games in 2024 and all 17 last season plus four playoff games.

Off the field, the extensive work he and his wife Parker did as advocates in the fight against human trafficking — along with work for organizations such as Special Olympics — earned Henry the team’s NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year nomination.

Now at age 31, Henry will have at least two more seasons with a Patriots team poised to add to the franchise’s collection of Lombardi trophies.

“I feel like I came here and kind of retooled myself, just my body, my mindset, just different things like right around the middle of my career,” Henry said. “It’s just been really fun to just be able to be consistent and just try to be that consistent guy out there that, no matter what, (that) my guys can (depend on) being out there. ... I’m trying to make plays and just do my job on a day-to-day, on a play-to-play basis is obviously the biggest goal, too.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl