EAGAN, Minn. — The heat and humidity that seemingly accompanies every Minnesota Vikings training camp doesn’t faze T.J. Hockenson.
Growing up in Iowa, the veteran tight end is used to Midwest summers, but he entered camp at TCO Performance Center this week already having battled grueling heat.
“I trained down in Nashville and it’s about this same humidity,” said Hockenson. “I’ve kind of been training in this for the last month-and-a-half.”
During the offseason, Hockenson calls Nashville his home, which is fitting because it’s also home to Tight End University – an offseason program that helps mold some of the top tight ends in the league.
“It’s a great place to be, just to be down there with all those guys, all those tight ends,” said Hockenson of the program, which was founded by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle and retired tight end Greg Olsen.
With a combined 12 All-Pro selections and 15 Pro Bowls, the trio has accomplished just about everything. And Hockenson is using it to his advantage.
“We’re all about the same personality,” he said. “You don’t hide much – so it’s great to get out there and talk to those guys about all types of things – routes, run game, pass game – just share all the knowledge. It’s great.”
Hockenson used the three-day camp to help prepare him for another NFL season, his sixth since being drafted No. 8 overall by the Detroit Lions in 2019. But this is his first offseason with the Vikings after joining the team during the 2022 season.
“It’s been great to be able to be here from Day 1 and to be able to go through (organized team activities), and then be able to take a month off and come back… it’s been great,” Hockenson said. “It’s like learning a second language and now it’s starting to become a primary.”
To many, he seemed fluent almost immediately, but Viking's offensive coordinator Wes Phillips said he’s just scratching the surface.
“As far as a guy coming in when he did to kind of digest and learn our system as well as he did was really impressive,” said Phillips. “But obviously going through an offseason, getting the true install where we have time to really take the time and detail out each concept – the run game, pass game – his talent is only going to show that much more.”
Despite learning on the fly, Hockenson quickly became one of Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins’ most reliable targets. In his 10 games in purple, Hockenson caught 60 passes for 519 yards and three touchdowns. He caught another 10 passes in their opening-round playoff game against the New York Giants and led the team with 129 yards, but it was his final grab – a 3-yard reception on fourth-and-8 – that left a bad taste in his mouth.
“We want to build on last year, just continue to get better and continue to progress this team and this organization,” he said. “We want to win games.”
Hockenson and the Vikings were able to win games last season – 13 of them to be exact – but after an abrupt first-round exit in the playoffs, expectations are even higher. While the Vikings’ offense was one of the top units in the league – seventh-best in total yards and eighth in scoring – there’s room for improvement, and with more familiarity, Hockenson believes he can help Minnesota take that next step.
“Obviously last year I knew what I was doing, but to learn concepts is a little different, especially when we’re doing the motions," said Hockenson. "We’re shifting and we’re doing all the things that we do, and (Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell) likes to put me at different positions, which is fantastic… but now trying to learn the whole thing and understanding that you’re a piece of the puzzle.”
The Iowa product was an important piece last season and will undoubtedly play a part in the offensive jigsaw O’Connell is putting together for the upcoming season.
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