Don’t ever accuse Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson of not being ready for the regular season to start. Hockenson will look to extend his own NFL record for Week 1 production by a tight end when the Lions host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
No tight end in NFL history has ever thrived in Week 1 games as well as Hockenson has to start his career. Per the Lions’ PR department, Hockenson is the first TE to rack up at least 50 receiving yards and a TD in Week 1 games in each of his first three seasons.
Fans might recall his very first NFL game, when Hockenson caught six passes for 131 yards and a TD in the 2019 opener, a tie against the Arizona Cardinals. That game remains the only time in Hockenson’s career where he topped 100 receiving yards. It’s still the NFL record for most receiving yards by a TE in his first career game, too.
In 2020, No. 88 caught five passes for 56 yard and a touchdown in the Lions’ loss to the Bears in Detroit. Last year Hockenson did it again with eight catches for 97 yards and a TD in the loss to San Francisco.
He’s facing a good opponent to continue the historic streak. Hockenson caught a career-high 10 passes for 89 yards in last year’s loss to the Eagles.
.@Lions TE @TheeHOCK8 will play in his fourth-career Week 1 game this Sunday vs. Philadelphia.
He is the first tight end in @NFL history to produce at least 50 receiving yards & 1 TD in each of the first three Week 1 games of a player's career.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/Xbd5itGGau
— Detroit Lions PR (@LionsPR) September 7, 2022