It was December 6, 2020 when the New England Patriots took down the Los Angeles Chargers 45-0.
And cameras caught Patriots head coach Bill Belichick giving a hug to Chargers tight end Hunter Henry and whispering something to him.
There was a lot of speculation at the time that it was something having to do with the free-agent-to-be maybe coming East to join the Pats, and although we may never know what was said (if it was “JOIN ME” then it’s tampering!), Henry is now a New England Patriot in 2021 — per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he signed a three-year deal with a $25 million guarantee:
And New England strikes again: The Patriots are signing former Chargers' TE Hunter Henry to a three-year, $37.5 million deal, including $25 million guaranteed, per source.
Free agency's top two tight ends, Henry and Jonnu Smith, wind up in New England.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2021
And guess what everyone tweeted?
Henry to the Pats? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/vWo4MVXacj
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) December 7, 2020
They say a picture is worth a thousand words….or $37.5 million. pic.twitter.com/o4hjiH4Lue
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 16, 2021
This was Bill Belichick on Hunter Henry prior to last December’s Chargers-Patriots game. … and then, of course, after the game. pic.twitter.com/qGzLju7Q2U
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) March 16, 2021
As you see from that last tweet, Belichick has been a fan for a long time. Here’s the full set of quotes from before that Pats win, via CBS Boston:
“Henry continues to be a complete and very, very good football player for them,” Belichick said in December, prior to the Patriots’ game against the Chargers. “Henry’s really been a great player. I’ve watched him pretty much his whole career. He started at Pulaski Academy down in Little Rock, played for Coach [Kevin] Kelly down there. He had a great career there, went to Arkansas and had a great career at Arkansas. Went to the Chargers and with [Virgil] Green out, he’s really played the Y role this year and showed good ability to block, catch. He runs a variety of routes. He’s come back off the injury and has been a very, very productive player for them, along with all their other good skill players. But, he’s done a good job for them in a running game, as well as the passing game.”
So, yeah. Belichick got someone he’s a fan of.
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