Persistence Carried Hunter Henry from Razorback Stardom to Super Bowl

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Former Arkansas Razorbacks All-American tight end Hunter Henry will finally have his opportunity to play in football's greatest stage of all on Sunday at SoFi Stadium.

Henry, who stars for the New England Patriots, will finally have the chance to win an NFL championship after playing in the league since the 2016 season.

The Little Rock native enjoyed his best regular season to date, catching 60 passes for a career-high 768 yards and seven touchdowns during the regular season.

While his productivity might be a down a tad over the previous two games, he will be depended upon to lead the Patriots to its seventh Super Bowl victory in franchise history.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) speaks to the media during Opening Night for Super Bowl LX at San Jose Convention Center. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Seahawks boasted one of the best redzone defenses in the NFL in the regular season, and it showed throughout the playoffs. Despite a minor hiccup against the Rams in the NFC Championship Game, Seattle was able to come away victorious.

New England has struggled a bit in recent weeks, scoring only two touchdowns in six redzone trips in the playoffs. Henry’s presence will be a comfort blanket for quarterback Drake Maye, who has enjoyed a breakout season under coach Mike Vrabel.

The former Razorback star is a consistent threat in the passing game, especially near the endzone where he finished No. 2 among NFL tight ends with 122 yards receiving inside the 20-yard line during the regular season.

Five of his seven touchdowns have also been scored in the redzone, making him a prime target to exploit a secondary that struggled just two weeks ago.

Getting to this point hasn’t been easy for Henry, who arrived in New England when things were still going steady with Bill Belichick. Things soured quickly, owner Robert Kraft cycled through another coach in Jerod Mayo for the 2024 season, and things began to stabilize what Vrabel came around.

Henry, who is one of only six holdovers from the Belichick days, was asked if he would do things differently. His answer was pretty simple.

“Man, I honestly wouldn’t trade it for anything,” Henry said Thursday. “I’ve enjoyed my time here so much. It’s been a very special place. I really felt like I wanted to be here. Obviously, we started out great at the start. It felt like we were building something good, and then we hit a lull there and had a few down years that were rough and hard to go through.

“But I feel like I’m able to appreciate this a little bit more (after) going through those hard times and being able to build things the right way. How special it is to be here is pretty awesome.”

Henry’s road to this moment has been anything but straightforward.

From his days as a Mackey Award winner at Arkansas, expectations followed him immediately into the NFL, but his journey to this point has required patience more than promise.

Injuries during the early stages of his career interrupted momentum he had with the Chargers. Then, he couldn't catch a break during rapid organizational turnover in New England for a few years.

Through it all, Henry carved out longevity, trust and loyalty which is something underappreciated in a league defined by short windows and constant turnover. Seasons of rebuilding, quarterback carousels and coaching changes forced him to evolve from a playmaker and into a veteran mouthpiece.

He's become a mentor and locker-room stabilizer which probably makes this moment something he will be able to cherish forever.

For Henry, the Super Bowl represents more than a championship opportunity. It represents confirmation that persistence through uncertainty can still lead to the game’s ultimate stage.

Sunday gives him the stage that persistence earned, one that began long before he became an NFL star. All the way back when Razorback fans first saw his path unfolding before their eyes.

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