Minnesota Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson commented on his contract status on Wednesday afternoon, with preseason action and the regular season looming.
Hockenson is in the final year of his contract and is one of several Vikings stars that are in line for new deals. Wide receiver Jordan Addison discussed his contract a bit on Tuesday afternoon, and now Hockenson weighed in on where things stand in regards to contract talks as well.
Vikings Star Likes Where He Is At
Despite some struggles over the past couple of seasons, the tight end loves the Vikings, and loves where he is currently at in the organization. He said as much when he met with the media on Wednesday.
“I’ve always said this very openly. I love this place, I’ve really enjoyed being here, playing for KO, this locker room, being around these guys.”
The Vikings restructured Hockenson’s contract in March. The two sides agreed to a contract that lowered a $21.3 million salary down to 16.3 million. The $21.3 million figure was a league-high figure at the time. At the very least, the Vikings were able to gain a little bit more flexibility.
The Iowa product figures to be the starting tight end for the 2026 season. The tight end is looking to bounce back after but was a difficult year last year. He was still coming back from a shoulder injury in 2025, and that played a part in his career lows. He caught 51 receptions for 438 yards and three touchdowns. On top of this, he suffered a shoulder injury late in the 2025 season. This caused him to miss the final two games of the season.
On top of this, the contract itself has not been well-received by national outlets. Hockenson’s current contract ranked ninth on Bleacher Report’s 10 Worst Contracts list. The four-year $66 million extension signed in 2023 did not sit well with Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon. The latter cited just three touchdowns since the start of 2024 and the fact that Hockenson has fallen short of 500 yards in each of the last two seasons. The fact that he is the third-highest-paid tight end in the sport also was subject to scrutiny.
Test Coming Up For Vikings TE
The real test for the tight end is going to be how well he bounces back from his injury. The knee injury has been a problem for him during his tenure with the team. He first suffered the injury in 2023, and he spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons trying to work back from it. This could be a chance for him to show that the knee is healthy and will not be an issue. How the injury itself works out is going to be crucial.
Despite his downturn in production, Hockenson can be a serviceable tight end when fully healthy. The Vikings have a lot of decisions coming up regarding contracts for their star players, and he is going to be part of a major decision. A down year could force the Vikings to seek other options. A good year could allow the Vikings to put reasonable faith in their plans at the position for the future. Either way, the decision will be interesting.
Vikings Star Speaks Out on Future as Contract Questions Swirl