T.J. Hockenson Shined in Debut Against the Commanders
LeeAnn Lowman
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When the Vikings acquired T.J. Hockenson, everyone assumed he’d need an adjustment period, but he shined in his debut against the Commanders.
Way to Make an Entrance
When the Minnesota Vikings traded with the Detroit Lions last week ahead of the trade deadline, everyone assumed it would take him time to get up to speed. Apparently, Hockenson doesn’t waste any time.
The trade was made early on Tuesday and by 10 pm that same day he was at the practice facility picking up his team iPad and starting the process of learning the Vikings complicated offense. Several players including Adam Thielen and Kirk Cousins have remarked on the changes new head coach Kevin O’Connell has made, calling it the most challenging offense they’ve had to learn.
Challenge Accepted
The fact that the offense had been labeled difficult did not seem daunting to Hockenson. Instead, he immediately did everything possible to immerse himself in learning the system to be as ready as possible for his first game in purple and gold.
He worked with practice squad QB, David Blough, his former teammate in Detroit. Blough helped him translate the schemes into familiar terms from their time together. Hockenson also dove right into working with tight ends coach, Brian Angelichio who was also impressed by his commitment to learning this system and helping his new team.
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Quick Study
Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins was shocked at how fast Hockensen picked up the offense. He quipped after the game,
“It took me about four months to learn [this offense],” Cousins said with a laugh. “He did it in like four days. So he’s kind of making me look bad. Not one time in the huddle did I feel like he was looking at me like he didn’t know what to do. Just very much on top of it [and] gave me a sense of ease as a result. … He helped us today.”
Cousins wasn’t the only one amazed by Hockenson. Head Coach Kevin O’Connell spoke about him after the game,
“We did not really dumb anything down,” coach Kevin O’Connell said. “We didn’t have a separate offense when T.J. was in there. I am amazed at how prepared he was to play. I think it’s a testament to his work ethic, his ability to retain a lot of information, and then obviously the coaching by Brian to just get with him and kind of be at his side for five, six days in a row in hopes of having him ready to go.”
Immediate Impact
The Vikings haven’t had a strong tight end this season, Irv Smith, Jr.’s season was cut short due to an injury. Minnesota has been playing so well, currently leading the division at 7-1, that the shortcomings at that position were somewhat masked. Hockenson arrived in town and blew the roof off of any expectations. He showed fans exactly what they had been missing.
In his first game as a Viking, Hockenson had 9 catches on 9 targets for 70 yards. Starting out strong, Hockenson had a 3rd down conversion with a 19-yard reception on the third play of the game. That was also the longest play by a Vikings tight end this season. He also has the second-longest reception by a Vikings tight end this season with one for 17 yards. He played 60 of 66 snaps, which was the most by a Minnesota tight end all season.
The Future Looks Bright
Will Ragatz from Sports Illustrated might have summed it up best, “With less than a week to get up to speed in a brand-new offense, it took major dedication from Hockenson and several others, starting as soon as he landed in Minnesota on Tuesday night.”
He spent a ton of time with Vikings tight ends coach Brian Angelichio and third-string quarterback David Blough, a former teammate of his in Detroit, during the week. With those two at the forefront, Hockenson took a crash course in [Head Coach] Kevin O’Connell’s offense and aced his first test on Sunday.”
Hockenson did all of this in 4 days. He is already showing that he is smart, dedicated, determined, and driven to be successful. He has expressed how excited he is to be in Minnesota, saying there is nowhere else he would rather be.
His play last weekend certainly backs that up. While it is early, this trade already appears to be an excellent decision on the part of Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
If Hockenson is having this much of an impact in less than a week, just imagine how much will he be able to help the team as we head into some tough games and the playoffs. Hockenson was shining bright in his debut game against Washington, and it makes the future look even brighter.
