Hunter Henry quietly becoming the Patriots’ most important offensive piece

Tight ends can be valuable security blankets for any offense. We should look no further than what Rob Gronkowski did with the New England Patriots for so many years.

Late in his tenure as Patriots' head coach, Bill Belichick did more harm than good. The last few years of the Belichick era were painful, to say the least. But among his free-agent splurge before the 2021 season, the Patriots brought in Hunter Henry to be that valuable tight end the Patriots hadn't had since Gronkowski's departure.

Fast-forward to 2025, and Henry's presence continues to loom large in New England. Look no further than his clutch third-down catch to put away a win against Atlanta on Sunday - the Patriots' sixth straight - while the veteran tight end caught a touchdown pass in the victory.

For all the mistakes Belichick made toward the end of his tenure as the Patriots' head coach, signing Henry was the one bright spot. He's been a big reason why the Patriots have been so hot over the last month and a half, and his presence in the middle of the field and underneath is going to be a key factor to Drake Maye's success down the stretch.

Bill Belichick deserves some credit for finding Hunter Henry

After Gronkowski briefly retired at the end of the 2018 season, the Patriots' tight end room took a major blow. Prior to the 2021 campaign - which ended with the Patriots' last playoff appearance - Henry was one of the many free agents Belichick splurged on.

While one could argue that was the lone bright spot in that spending spree, New England has continued to cash in long after Belichick has left the organization.

The Patriots didn't put forth their best effort against Atlanta, but found ways to win. One of them? Henry's big-time third-down catch late in the fourth quarter with the Falcons out of timeouts. A valuable tight end is often a quarterback's best friend, and Henry is proving to be just that.

Players have come and gone from New England over the last four years, but Henry has been one of the rare constant presences. And the combination of his reliability and leadership has been an essential factor for Maye and the offense.