Austin Hooper’s Super Bowl Homecoming Is More Than Just a Game
For Austin Hooper, this Super Bowl isn’t just another trip to the big stage - it’s a full-circle moment. The New England Patriots tight end is back in the Bay Area, where his football journey began, and he’s doing it with a decade of NFL experience under his belt and a deep appreciation for how far he’s come.
Hooper will be the only player on either side of Super Bowl 60 to take the field at Levi’s Stadium with hometown roots. The San Mateo native grew up just 30 miles away and still spends his offseasons training with the high school program that shaped him - De La Salle in Concord. Now, ten years removed from his rookie-year heartbreak in Super Bowl LI - yes, the infamous 28-3 collapse - Hooper is soaking it all in.
“I’m definitely smelling the roses more,” the 31-year-old said this week. “I don’t know how many years I’ve got left.”
That kind of reflection doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s earned - through seasons of grind, two Pro Bowl appearances, and an NFL career that’s lasted far longer than most. And now, he gets to chase a ring in front of 15 family members in the stands and countless more watching from home, including his legendary high school coach Bob Ladouceur.
“I’m real proud … it’s really kind of cool,” Ladouceur said. “He learned how to be a football player at De La Salle.”
From Teen Prospect to NFL Veteran
When Hooper first walked onto De La Salle’s campus in 2008, he was a lanky 6-foot-2, 200-pound freshman. Fast forward to today, and he’s filled out into a 6-foot-4, 254-pound NFL tight end - a transformation that’s as physical as it is professional.
But what stands out isn’t just the size. It’s the way Hooper still shows up every summer to run gassers, flip tires, and grind alongside the high schoolers who now look up to him. According to current Spartans head coach Justin Alumbaugh, Hooper doesn’t just drop in for a photo op - he’s all in.
“He has words for kids, too,” Alumbaugh said, laughing. “Which I appreciate.
I mean, come on, to come back and run conditioning drills with his old high school team, out of the kindness of his heart - I’m not making it up. It’s real.”
Hooper shrugs off the praise with a smile.
“I’m supposed to beat kids that are 17 years old,” he said. “But yeah, I go back and train and push myself, just go about it my own way.
If the young guys want to work with me, cool. If you want to keep up with me, go for it.”
But make no mistake - Hooper’s involvement goes beyond just conditioning. He jumps into 7-on-7 drills, helps coach up tight ends, and offers real-time feedback to players like Landon Cook, who recently signed with Oregon State.
“Showing our tight ends how to create space, things like that,” Alumbaugh said. “I’m like, ‘Guys, I don’t think you know what’s happening right now.’ It’s pretty incredible to see somebody of his stature give back in the way that he does.”
Built on Both Sides of the Ball
Hooper’s path to tight end stardom wasn’t always a sure thing. Back in high school, it was a toss-up whether he’d end up on offense or defense. Both Ladouceur and Alumbaugh remember his most dominant performance coming as a defensive end in the 2012 state championship game against Centennial.
“He did a lot of damage when he was on our defense,” Ladouceur recalled. “He was quick off the ball, he was strong, and no running backs could block him.”
At De La Salle, two-way players were the norm - but Hooper was different. He rarely came off the field. Offensively, he thrived in their run-heavy veer system, where tight ends weren’t just blockers - they were chess pieces.
“So he did a lot of blocking,” Ladouceur said. “But he did a lot of route-running, too.”
That foundation - the physicality, the football IQ, the versatility - helped shape the player Hooper would become. And even as he went on to play at Stanford and launch an NFL career, the De La Salle DNA stuck with him.
“Probably selflessness,” Hooper said when asked what stuck with him most. “The ability to think about the team first and not do what’s required but do what’s necessary. It definitely left a lasting impression on me, so I always feel the need to give back.”
Still Rooted in the Bay
While most players in this week’s Super Bowl are locked into game prep, Hooper’s also been enjoying a little taste of home - literally.
“I’ve just been eating a lot of Mexican food since I got back here,” he said with a grin.
It’s a small detail, but it’s one that speaks to the bigger picture. For Hooper, this isn’t just another Super Bowl. It’s a return to where it all started - to the fields where he first learned to block, to the coaches who taught him what it meant to be part of something bigger, and to the community that helped raise him.
And now, he’s got a shot to win it all - not just for the Patriots, but for everyone who’s been part of the journey.