Former Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson got exactly what he wanted. Hockenson and his new team, the Minnesota Vikings, agreed to a lucrative new contract that will make Hockenson the highest-paid tight end in NFL history.
Hockenson will earn $68.5 million in his four-year extension, with a record-setting $42.5 million guaranteed.
Compensation update: TJ Hockenson is signing a four-year, $68.5 million contract extension that resets the tight end market, source tells ESPN. The $17.125 million annual average and $42 .5 million guarantee are the highest for a tight end in NFL history. https://t.co/v33TTeeS4D
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 31, 2023
The rich new extension caused quite a reaction in Lions land. Most of the social media response from Detroit fans and media reflected joyous glee that it wasn’t the Lions who paid Hockenson, while also being happy for a player who performed well in Detroit.
Just not that well…
Here are some of the best reactions from X (formerly Twitter) on the Vikings paying Hockenson like no other TE has ever been paid before.
https://t.co/KkZv5SmS8z pic.twitter.com/3DKgf8LF4W
— SandmanLions (@Sandman7773) August 31, 2023
Instead of making TJ Hockenson the highest paid TE in NFL history Brad Holmes turned him into Brian Branch. pic.twitter.com/rtcBfF964P
— Honolulu Blues (@HonoluluBlues_) August 31, 2023
Hockenson and LaPorta may not end up equals, but when you look at these contract numbers, it's easy to see why Brad Holmes made the trade.
Hockenson: 4 year, $17.13 ave, $42.5 Guaranteed
LaPorta: 4 year, $2.36 average,
$7.8 GuaranteedLions investing that $ in other areas https://t.co/gcOBSJHtC8
— Erik Schlitt (@erikschlitt) August 31, 2023
Wow!!
That’s way more then I thought pic.twitter.com/mSkbuYyeeK
— The Owl (@TheOwl_NFL) August 31, 2023
I think it's very possible that Sam LaPorta could be as good, if not better than T.J. Hockenson was for the Lions, but almost surely not better than Hock with the Vikings from a numbers standpoint. Holmes did a masterful job getting value and not having to pay that contract.
— Alex Reno (@alex_reno) August 31, 2023
The #Vikings giving TJ Hockenson his bag is going to go down as one of the floppiest contract-deals in modern football.
Bookmark this, I don’t care. Love TJ, I’m not paying him. pic.twitter.com/KF54CLl0Zx
— Natalie Sparbeck (@NatSparbeck) August 31, 2023
This is such a win-win-win for me. Lions traded Hockenson and got good picks for him, Hockenson got his massive contract, and a division rival gets saddled with an egregious contract that the Lions were specifically trying to avoid paying https://t.co/CCKXfEVGq4
— ACAB (@DFF_Blizzard) August 31, 2023
“TJ Hockenson is paid more than any NFL RB”
— Alex Caruso (@AlexCaruso) August 31, 2023
Thank you, Brad Holmes. Thank you.
Why in the HELL would the #Vikings extend Hockenson before Justin Jefferson? Not to mention making him the highest-paid TE in history. Travis Kelce is somewhere smiling.. https://t.co/5Nb786jcS5
— Jeff Iafrate (@jeffiafrate) August 31, 2023
Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is a certified fake sharp. Cant outbid a 4th for Trey Lance, then not only makes Hockenson the highest paid TE in the league but he pays him before Jefferson. This is ontop of using draft capital to buy Hock. Puzzling stuff from a “analytics guy” https://t.co/wkmAeUmfuF
— Ron Stewart (@RonStewart_) August 31, 2023
