The Patriots are waiting on Hunter Henry, and for now, there’s no real answer.
New England’s starting tight end left Sunday’s 24-19 win over the Miami Dolphins with a foot injury and never made it back. He had just caught a pass in the second quarter when he missed the next three snaps on the sideline, then went from the blue medical tent to the locker room. Henry tried to return, but he headed back inside again before the team ruled him out.
It was a short afternoon for the 31-year-old, who finished with three catches on three targets for 30 yards. Once he was out, the Patriots leaned more heavily on rookies Eli Raridon and Tanner Arkin to close things out, with Raridon logging a career-high 55 snaps.
Drake Maye said after the game that losing Henry was a tough break.
"Yeah, it's always tough losing Hunter," Drake Maye said postgame. "Anytime with Hunt and Eli n there, we were kind of down some receivers, those guys were going to be big for us. ...
I saw him when he got up from the catch. I was worried about him and probably shouldn't be worried about him, but I'm worried about Hunt.
I know he went back in the locker room, but he seems fine in there. He seems like he's walking around fine and he's got a smile on his face.
So he's always Hunt."
One day later, Mike Vrabel still didn’t have anything concrete to share. At his Monday press conference, the Patriots head coach said the team is still waiting to see how Henry responds.
"I don't have any expectations yet," Vrabel said. "We'll see kind of how he responds here, wasn't able to finish the game, so you know, we'll see where he is. And I know Hunter will do everything that he can to get back to help us, and we'll go from there."
If Henry does miss time, it would add another problem for a Patriots offense already dealing with injuries. The team was already without A.J. Brown, TreVeyon Henderson, Alijah Vera-Tucker, Mack Hollins, and Romeo Doubs in that game, and Henry’s potential absence would only stretch things further.
Vrabel pointed to the way the offense adjusted after Henry went down.
"I mean, everybody prepares as a starter and you know, we missed Hunter, certainly that leadership and his understanding in tough, close games, he always seems to come up and make plays for us," Vrabel said postgame. "So again, the guys were ready to go.
I though Josh (McDaniels) and the offensive staff did a really nice job of moving guys around and guys being ready to go. It's a tough, tough game on the road in the division.
These are never easy."
The Patriots return to the practice field Wednesday as they get ready for a Week 9 home game against the Green Bay Packers. Henry will be one of the names to watch when that session begins, along with Hollins and fullback Reggie Gilliam, both of whom are eligible to be activated off injured reserve.
In Other News...
Patriots Suddenly Have A Tight End Problem They Can't Ignore
The Patriots tight end room suddenly looks a lot thinner after Hunter Henry went down with a foot injury in the Dolphins game and was ruled out after trying to shake it off. For a team already trying to piece together answers on offense, losing one of its most reliable pass-catching options has a way of exposing just how fragile the depth chart really is.
With the November 10 trade deadline approaching, New England may have to decide whether this is a short-term hiccup or a problem worth solving externally. One name that naturally fits the conversation is Dallas Goedert, a proven veteran who could help stabilize the position if the Patriots choose to be aggressive, but for now the bigger question is whether the front office believes the current roster can hold up long enough to avoid making that kind of move. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Kicking Situation Just Got More Uncomfortable For Andy Borregales
Andy Borregales latest miss came at a time when every kick feels a little heavier. In the second quarter against the Dolphins, the Patriots rookie sent a 40-yard field goal attempt wide, adding another uneasy moment to a season that has already featured more than a few for the young kicker. Through eight games, Borregales has hit 10 of 13 attempts, a mark that leaves the Patriots with a kicking operation that has been productive enough to survive, but not steady enough to feel settled.
Mike Vrabel still voiced confidence in Borregales afterward, which matters because the Patriots are trying to manage several moving parts at once, including injury updates and possible returns elsewhere on the roster. Even so, the kicking spot remains one of the more uncomfortable questions around the team right now, and the next stretch of games will go a long way toward showing whether Borregales can quiet the noise or keep inviting it. [Read more 🡒]
Patriots Survive Officiating Mess Against Miami, But NFL Still Owes Answers
The Patriots left Miami with a win, but the conversation afterward was about the officiating as much as the result. A touchdown by Kyle Williams was first ruled incomplete before Mike Vrabel won the challenge, and the sequence only added to the sense that this game was handled unevenly from the start. The league had already made a last-minute switch in the officiating assignment, a rare wrinkle that raised eyebrows before kickoff.
What has kept the issue alive is the lack of a real explanation from the NFL. The crew change was reportedly tied to poor work in another game, yet the league has not clearly addressed why that swap was made or why several of the calls in this matchup became so contentious. For New England, the points still counted and the victory still stands, but the questions around how the game was managed are not going away soon. [Read more 🡒]