EAGAN, Minn. — T.J. Hockenson agreed to terms on a new contract with the Minnesota Vikings Thursday, ahead of what would have been the final year of his rookie contract.
The Vikings acquired Hockenson midseason in Nov. 2022 in a rare intradivisional trade with the Detroit Lions.
The contract is reportedly worth $68.5 million over four years, making his per-year average the highest of any tight end in the league. His $17.125 million per year surpasses the deal Darren Waller signed ($17 million per year) with the New York Giants back in March.
"It's truly a good fit for me here and I've known that since Day 1," Hockenson said in a press conference Thursday. "... This is a place I want to be long-term, and to have that done and to be able to move forward with that and have dreams become reality, is incredible."
From Chariton, Iowa, the veteran tight end has played in 57 regular season NFL games, starting 49 times. He has racked up 2,587 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns on 246 receptions.
In Minnesota, Hockenson had 60 receptions for 519 yards within 10 games playing in purple and gold.
He had a career-high 13 catches for 109 yards in Week 16, helping the Vikings edge out the Giants. It was the most single-game receptions of any tight end all season, and the most ever by a Vikings tight end.
"Thrilled to know that we've got T.J. here as a major part of our core on offense," said Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell. "When we got him Week 6 of last season, our hopes were that we were acquiring a player that would become a major part of our offense moving forward. We saw the immediate impact over those 10 games -- 11 games (including playoffs) -- what he was able to do."
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