Hunter Henry agrees to 2-year contract extension with New England Patriots, reports say

The New England Patriots have reportedly agreed to a two-year contract extension with veteran tight end Hunter Henry, who has become one of Drake Maye's most reliable pass catchers.

ESPN and NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport first broke the news that the team had agreed to a new deal with its 31-year-old tight end, who had one year left on his contract.

Hunter Henry contract extension   

Adam Schefter of ESPN later added that the new deal for Henry is for two years and $16 million, with a maximum value of $20 million. Henry receives $14.5 million guaranteed and a signing bonus of $4.2 million, Schefter reported.

The team shared a photo Monday morning of Henry signing his new deal.

Henry spent his first five seasons with the Chargers in San Diego and Los Angeles before signing with the Patriots during the team's spending spree in 2021.

In five seasons with the Patriots, Henry has 2,973 yards and 26 touchdowns and has become a key figure in New England's locker room. Henry was named a team captain for the 2025 season.

Last year, Henry had a career-high 768 receiving yards for the Patriots and played all 17 games. He also had seven touchdowns, his most in New England since reeling in nine scores in 2021.

The Patriots hold practice Monday at 10:15 a.m. Henry is among the players the team said will meet with reporters after the session.

New England welcomes the Indianapolis Colts to Foxboro on Tuesday as the teams will hold a joint practice session. The Patriots and Colts open the preseason Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. 

Why Hunter Henry extension was "no-brainer"

WBZ-TV sports reporter and anchor Dan Roche wrote the following analysis following the news of Henry's extension.

This extension is a no-brainer. While we wait for the Christian Gonzalez extension to be worked out, a deal Robert Kraft says will make him the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL and richest Patriot in franchise history, this one was easy. 

Hunter Henry has only played for the Patriots for five seasons, but it feels like 10. And that's a true compliment. The guy feels like he's been a Patriot his entire career. 

On the field, he's been durable, logging 33 starts the past two seasons. He's a favorite touchdown target of Drake Maye with nine over the last two seasons. 

He "knows how to get open," something that sounds easy but is not. Entering his 11th campaign, Henry can find spots in a defense where he gets open and where Maye knows where to find him. It's something I've had conversations about with Henry. He takes pride in being able to read how he's going to be defended and where to find that open spot. He also knows where to position himself if Maye is being pressured and moves around in the pocket. It sounds easy, but it's something that he's worked on over the years. 

Off the field, he's become a leader. With all the turnover here during his five seasons, including playing for three head coaches, he's seen it all. He's used that knowledge to show and say what needs to be done. He's a captain. And in the community, he truly cares. Last year he won the Ron Burton Community Award, which is a prestigious honor as a Patriots players. 

With Henry now locked up through the 2028 season, it is appropriate that he will likely retire as a Patriot. And one day, Henry should don that red Patriots Hall of Fame jacket.