New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry runs after a catch, Nov. 23, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit)
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: The New England Patriots are the best team in the AFC.
After an incredible run spanning 21 years in which New England made the playoffs 18 times with six Super Bowls (a stretch that included 17 consecutive seasons with 10 or more wins), the team had finished below .500 and out of the playoffs for the past three seasons. But that postseason drought will come to a screeching halt in 2025.
With a come-from-behind 26-20 win at Cincinnati on Sunday, this year’s Patriots have won nine straight games and seized sole possession of first place in the AFC with a 10-2 record.
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“Winning in this league is special,” New England tight end Hunter Henry said in his postgame press conference. “This team is very special too. We really have a close-knit group, and it’s a lot of fun coming into work with these guys.”
The Patriots fell behind 10-0 in the second quarter on Sunday, but responded with a 28-yard touchdown to Henry on the next drive. New England grabbed the lead with a touchdown less than two minutes later and never relinquished it on the way to a hard-fought road win. For the day, Henry snagged seven receptions for a career-high 115 receiving yards and his crucial second-quarter touchdown.
“I put a lot of work in,” Henry said in the press conference. “I’ve been incredibly blessed in this profession to be where I am. God has extraordinarily blessed me — I couldn’t do it without Him. To be here, with this team, I take a lot of pride in it. It’s been a fun ride, and I’m excited for the journey ahead.”
Henry’s previous career high in single-game receiving yards was 109, which came in Week 2 a year ago. Including Sunday’s performance, only three times in his 10-year career has the vet eclipsed the 100-yard receiving plateau. The 2025 campaign as a whole is shaping up to be the soon-to-be-31-year-old’s best to date; he’s on pace to set a new single-season career high in receiving yards (currently 674, also set last season). The Arkansas native and former Razorback already has 537 receiving yards with five games remaining.
It appears Henry’s fifth season in a Patriots uniform will also end in the playoffs, a place he’s only been twice before. In 2018 with the Los Angeles Chargers, the team that drafted him 35th overall in 2016, Henry lost (to the Patriots) and he did not record a catch. In 2021 with New England, his team lost to the Buffalo Bills and he caught only one pass for 30 yards.
Despite dealing with a rash of injuries and a string of losing seasons throughout his time in the NFL, Henry has been public about his steadfast faith in Christ. As the son of a pastor, Henry grew up in the church and became a believer when he was 9 or 10. His faith deepened in college, and now as an NFL star he seeks to share the Good News of the Gospel with millions of adoring fans.
He writes in his Instagram bio that he’s a “Jesus Follower” and references the Bible verse Joshua 1:9 as well as the Audience of One (AO1) slogan. In his posts, he frequently cites Bible verses.
In September 2022, Henry joined the Sports Spectrum Podcast to talk about his NFL career, his faith in Christ, and being a father (he has two children with another on the way).
“I’m out there to glorify God,” Henry said on the podcast about being in the NFL. “He gave me these abilities, and this is a way for me to go out there and worship Him. I always say I apply it to everything, but really on the football field, I’m out there playing for one reason, and that’s the Creator that gave me these abilities.”
Henry — who was baptized in the Jordan River in 2020 along with his wife, Parker — has also been involved in the work of International Justice Mission for much of his professional career, including showcasing the organization during the NFL’s “My Cause My Cleats” initiative. IJM works to protect people in poverty from violence and human trafficking.
This past September, the Henrys hosted Rally for Rescue, an event that featured fast-paced ping-pong matches and a silent auction, all to support IJM’s mission.
“We are excited to bring people together for a cause that matters deeply to us,” Henry said ahead of Rally for Rescue. “After traveling to the IJM Kenya office this spring, Parker and I knew we wanted to continue doing what we could to support IJM. Through Rally for Rescue, we hope to inspire action, raise critical funds, and amplify the fight for justice around the globe.”
Henry spoke with Sports Spectrum in 2020 about how his faith in Jesus led him to get involved with IJM.
“[IJM’s] values behind when they’re able to save these people, and what’s behind them going to do all this, is Christ,” he said. “And just sharing that, sharing the Gospel with people at the same time, but also using [the Gospel] for all their work and that’s what’s behind everything … that’s what drew me to them more than any other organization.”
With IJM, Henry is busy combating injustices in the world that grieve God’s heart. With the Patriots, Henry has helped his team accumulate the NFL’s longest current win streak. He and his teammates will have an opportunity to extend that streak to 10 next week at home against the New York Giants (2-10) on “Monday Night Football.” Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
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