The New England Patriots flamed out in the fourth quarter of a winnable game in Seattle. Quarterback Drake Maye threw three fourth-quarter interceptions to seal the deal for the Seahawks.
In the process, the Patriots lost No. 1 receiver A.J. Brown to a high-ankle sprain. He has since been placed on injured reserve, giving the team another early-season hurdle to navigate.
On the plus side, the ever-reliable Hunter Henry had three catches for 26 yards against the Seahawks and is closing in on a notable Patriots milestone.
Now in his sixth season as a Patriot, Henry stands a mere 1 yard away from 3,000 receiving yards. His next catch will put him in the elite company of the team's three all-time best at the position: Rob Gronkowski, Ben Coates, and Russ Francis.
All three of those Patriots legends had sustained success throughout their Patriots careers, and Henry is soon to join that elite group. Gronkowski leads the pack with 7,861 yards on 521 receptions, Coates follows with 5,471 yards on 490 catches, and Francis, the early Patriots' version of "Gronk," hauled in 207 for 3,157 yards.
Hunter Henry is becoming a New England Patriots legend
Gronk played for nine seasons in Foxborough, primarily with Tom Brady at quarterback. Coates played nine seasons in New England and his most productive partner was quarterback Drew Bledsoe. Francis played for parts of eight seasons with the Patriots. He worked with Jim Plunkett but then primarily with Steve Grogan for the majority of his tenure. These quarterbacks and tight ends were all major Patriots' stars of their respective eras, in both the recent and not-so-recent past.
Barring the unforeseen, Henry will join those three elite Patriots' tight ends in the 3,000-yard receiving club on Sept. 20, fittingly during the home opener against Pittsburgh in Week 2.
Along with being a team captain, Henry has been a veteran mentor for Maye since the young quarterback was drafted in 2024.
"Man, it's a blessing to play with Hunter," Maye said last month. "He was one of my veterans, the first guy who reached out to me when I got drafted. So, the guys like Hunter are some of the best teammates I will be around in my career, and I'm just not taking that for granted. Trying to pick his brain and how many stories he has back with Antonio Gates, Philip Rivers, and just using that and continuing to build the friendship. He's got a great family, he's a great dude and a great person, and I'm glad to, every time, go out on the field with Hunt. So, it's a pleasure."
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