Getty T.J. Hockenson hauls in a pass against the Bears in 2021.
The Detroit Lions saw multiple players depart this season due to injury, and one of the most significant ended up being tight end T.J. Hockenson.
After a breakout 2020 season led to a Pro Bowl appearance, Hockenson got off to a bit slower start in 2021, but continued to put up solid stats nonetheless for the team. He hit a bit of a lull midseason, but was on the uptick when injury claimed the end of his 2021 campaign. As a result, Hockenson never saw the field once 2022 began.
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Now that downtime is upon NFL players ahead of the offseason, it gives players a chance to reset and refocus on what will come in the future. For Hockenson, that means not only getting completely healthy off the thumb injury which slowed him down, but training so that he might be able to continue to show the development he had in 2020.
Speaking with the media after the conclusion of the regular season in an interview posted to DetroitLions.com, Hockenson was asked where he sees himself working on improving this offseason. As he said, he will get back to work with George Kittle and company so that he can keep building on what has already made him very successful on the field.
“I’m going to work out down in Nashville with George (Kittle) and all those guys. I think me going down there every year, I just continue to get better,” Hockenson told the media. “This year at the beginning of the year was the best I ever felt, best football I thought I was playing. So obviously I’m just going to continue on that and continue to build. It’s us day by day, week by week trying to get 1% better and I think it’s what we’re trying to do here, build that culture.”
Slow and steady will win in terms of building and it’s great to see Hockenson realize that and continue to develop momentum for the future. The Lions need Hockenson to be as good as possible, so the fact that he is going to keep on the grind with Kittle and company only means more good things are coming in 2022.
How Lions Can Help Hockenson After up and Down 2021 Season
This past season was a bit more of a struggle for Hockenson on the field. With fewer targets and weapons around him, teams often doubled Hockenson early in the season to take him away from Jared Goff and the Detroit offense. It worked, as the tight end struggled at times to put up numbers. After a scorching 2 touchdown and 163 yard start through two weeks, Hockenson posted only 196 yards with no scores in the next five weeks. When things were starting to turn around for Detroit’s offense near the end of the year, Hockenson woke up as well. He posted 84 yards and 2 touchdowns through Week 12 and 13, but was lost due to injury soon after. His first game of the year performance was very impressive to note:
Hockenson obviously has the skills to impact the game in a big way, but the Lions will have to make some offensive repairs to make sure that teams cannot focus on him exclusively and take him out of the game. That involves getting more targets for Goff at wide receiver.
Health Lions Biggest Hope for Hockenson During 2022
Sadly, the injury to finish the season for Hockenson may not have been that surprising in the end. The Lions have not been able to keep Hockenson healthy whatsoever early in his young career. His rookie season, Hockenson suffered a foot injury and was forced to miss the end of the 2019 season. Hockenson also suffered a concussion that saw him lose time that year. In 2020, the Lions watched Hockenson play in all 16 games and establish career highs while making the Pro Bowl, showing what he could be for the offense long-term. In spite of that, Hockenson has been banged-up this season, and the hand injury adds another unfortunate layer on to what has been a bumpy career start for the young pass catcher in terms of health.
The Lions and their fans want and need Hockenson to be right into the future. The tight end needs to turn around his health fortunes starting in 2022.
Fortunately, he will be able to be back on the grind again very soon for the team as it relates to making improvements and getting even better. He looks determined to do just that.
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