New England Patriots Tight End Returning to the Bay Area for the Super Bowl

Super Bowl LX will be a full circle moment for Austin Hooper.

Nov 2, 2025; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper (81) warms up before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Another Super Bowl is here, and once again, a Stanford Cardinal could hoist the trophy when it is all said and done. After a resurgent season that saw them go from 3-14 last season to 14-3 this season, the New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl for the first time since 2018—ready to win the franchise's seventh title.

And for former Stanford standout and Patriots tight end Austin Hooper, this Super Bowl is extra special.

Born in San Mateo and playing high school football at De La Salle before playing at Stanford, Hooper is a Bay Area kid, and will get the chance to win his first ever Super Bowl close to his hometown, with the game taking place at Levi's Stadium.

Playing in his second Super Bowl after losing his first one back in 2016 while a member of the Atlanta Falcons, Hooper hopes that this Super Bowl ends with his team on top.

A backup to Hunter Henry, Hooper had a limited role for the Patriots this season, but still managed to contribute the best he could. Playing in 16 games with six starts, Hooper caught 21 passes for 263 yards and found the endzone twice, proving that he is still a very capable of coming up big when needed.

In his second season with the franchise, Hooper's leadership has been his biggest strength this season, helping a young Patriots team return to NFL relevance.

A two-time Pro Bowler in 2018 and '19 while with the Falcons, Hooper's best season came in the '19 campaign, where in 13 games, he caught a career high of 75 passes for 787 yards and six touchdowns. Becoming a free agent after that season, Hooper signed a four-year deal with the Cleveland Browns, and played a big role in their 2020 playoff run.

After the Browns released Hooper following the 2022 season, Hooper signed a one-year deal with the Tennessee Titans before joining the Las Vegas Raiders for the '23 season. In his second season with the Patriots, but a free agent after this season, Hooper will be hoping that he did enough to earn a new contract, either with New England or some other team.

A three-star recruit coming out of high school, Hooper committed to Stanford over 13 other offers, including ones from schools such as Arizona, Washington, Arizona State and California, among others.

Redshirting his true freshman campaign, Hooper became a starter the following year, catching 40 passes for 499 yards and two touchdowns in his redshirt freshman season, and earning Second-team All-Pac-12 honors. In his final college season in 2015, Hooper caught 34 passes for 438 yards and six touchdowns, earning First-team All-Pac-12 honors and Third-team All-American honors.

But Hooper is still searching for the greatest feat a football player can earn—a Super Bowl title—and to add his name to the exclusive list of Stanford alums to win a Lombardi Trophy. Set for Feb. 8, Hooper and the Patriots will face the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl LX at 3:30 p.m. (PT) on NBC.