For Hunter Henry, Patriots' Goal Remains The Same

FOXBORO --- Hunter Henry remembers what it felt like to walk off the field at Super Bowl LX without lifting the Lombardi Trophy. The New England Patriots tight end doesn't want to feel that way again.

"Getting there, it was big. But we didn't make it all the way, we didn't do enough," Henry told reporters after the team's voluntary offseason workouts this week. "So you got to look at yourself in the mirror. What can you do more? How can you be better? How can I be a better teammate? How can I be a better player, so that at the end, we can hoist that trophy and not be the ones walking off the field?"

Henry said he watched a little bit of the Super Bowl after the score went final, mentioning how it still stings for him. And yet, the longtime veteran entering his 11th NFL season says that it's good that the loss to the Seattle Seahawks is still stinging.

"You know, obviously we didn't play to the capability that we wanted to play at all on the biggest stage, and that was very disappointing and hard to process for a while," he said. "It definitely has taken a while."

It's been an exciting offseason for Henry personally. His wife, Parker, gave birth to their daughter Navy in March, and he's been back in his role as father for a few months. Now that the new training facility -- one he praised walking into the media room -- is open, he's getting back into the swing of football.

Hunter Henry likes the new media room. He’s also had a new kid this offseason.

“She’s been amazing.” pic.twitter.com/lawmBFRbbo
— Ethan Hurwitz (@HurwitzSports) April 28, 2026

Even with off-the-field distractions involving head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots captain says that keeping football the main thing is the most important storyline.

"I think everybody's focused on what we have as the task at hand right now," Henry said. "Right now, that's working out, coming together as a team, focused on the meetings, trying to get better, learn from what we did last year, and try to improve."

Nov 23, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (85) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

Henry is coming off one of his best seasons ever as a tight end in the NFL. He caught 60 passes (his second-straight year with 60+ catches) for 768 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns. Henry continued his climb into conversations about being one of the best tight ends in franchise history.

But 2025 was 2025, and it's a new chapter. With success now in the Patriots' rearview mirror, Henry is revving up to replicate it.

"Everybody's focused on (improving) right now," Henry said. "That's everybody's main focus in that locker room, trying to come together and trying to start the journey all over again."

The veteran tight end will also be taking on a leadership role this year. The Patriots selecting Notre Dame tight end Eli Raridon with the 95th overall pick in last weekend's NFL Draft, and now Henry will be able to mentor a young rookie more than a decade from when he was mentored.

Henry Hopes To Become A Mentor For Eli Raridon

"Hopefully he can come alongside and just watch that process," Henry said. "Obviously, I'm gonna be there for him. I mean, we try to have a close knit tight end room. What a blessing it is to get drafted. And we're excited to add him to the room. He can bring a lot of value, and (I'm) excited to meet him."

Next season will be tougher. It's one of the first years that Henry's been in New England will true expectations. But the schedule will be more demanding, more eyes will be in the direction of Vrabel throughout the summer.

Henry says that New England's drive to succeed hasn't gone away.

"Last year's last year," Henry said. "This is the start of a new year, and every year in this league is not a given. They're not just going to hand us the division this year. They're not going to hand us the playoffs. We're going to have to go earn it. We got to go earn it every single day. So every year is a new year, and we got to be attacking like that."

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!

Add us as a preferred source on Google