T.J. Hockenson was out of breath after practice on Wednesday. He’s been rehabbing to recover from an injury he suffered in Week 16 last year. Hockenson’s former Detroit Lions teammate, Kerby Joseph, hit him in the right knee with his helmet, tearing Hockenson’s ACL and MCL. Hockenson said he’s learned a lot from the rehab experience.
“When you’re in a dark place, you really see who the people are around you,” Hockenson said, pausing occasionally to catch his breath. “To be part of the Minnesota Vikings and to be part of this staff and obviously to have my family and the people around me, my wife, everybody has been incredible.”
Hockenson typically has a light, carefree personality. He’s from Chariton, a town of 4,000 people in Iowa, but he has a California surfer vibe. His accent also has a hint of southern drawl, which he likely picked up from Nashville, his adopted hometown. Therefore, it’s concerning when he says he’s been in a dark place – a place he’d like to escape.
“I’ve been pushing to get out there as fast as I can,” Hockenson said. “I told them at the beginning, I’m kind of a workhorse. Throughout this whole process, I’m going to do everything times two that you’re going to tell me to do. So you’re going to have to put the reins on me and pull me back.”
On Wednesday, Kevin O’Connell announced that the Vikings will open Hockenson’s 21-day practice window on Friday. Hockenson’s first practice will be in London ahead of Minnesota’s game against the New York Jets at Tottenham Stadium.
“Friday gives us 21 days,” said O’Connell, explaining his logic. “Twenty-one days from then gives us the bye week and two football games, with us playing on Thursday (on the road against the Los Angeles Rams), the second week after the bye. That gives us some flexibility at 20 days to have him ready to go, see where he’s at and his availability for the [Detroit] Lions game.”
The Vikings play Detroit on October 20 after the bye week, then the Rams four days later. Hockenson wants to return as soon as possible but doesn’t hold ill will toward Joseph or his former team. Instead, he wishes the league would better regulate hits on players’ knees.
“Obviously, I wasn’t too happy about it,” Hockenson said in April. “That’s not a fun one to take. And that’s not necessarily based on him as a player. I’ve got nothing against him. I played with him in Detroit, and I understand that’s kind of what they expect you to do in the league.”
“I would’ve much rather gone down with a concussion for two weeks than have to go through this for nine months. (Offensive players) can’t cut (block) outside of the tackle box, so it doesn’t really make sense why these (defensive players) are able to go as low as they are. When you’re 25 yards downfield, looking back at the quarterback, you don’t have any awareness.”
Hockenson’s comment about rather having a concussion than a knee injury didn’t sit well with some people. However, looking back, it appears he was highlighting how distressing his knee injury was on him. Hockenson has repeatedly said that it put him in a dark place and that he wants to return to the field as soon as possible.
“I definitely don’t think I have it against the player as much as the league putting the defense in those positions in order to have to do that,” Hockenson said in April. “I don’t think anybody goes out onto the field wanting to injure a player like that. I’m hoping that’s not what the intent was. To have it happen a couple weeks later, I think that’s something the league needs to look at.”
“I don’t really know what (the league) can do,” he added. “I do know the helmet was down, both hits, staring at the ground with the crown of the helmet. It doesn’t put the offensive player in a good position. It doesn’t put the defensive player in a good position. I mean, his helmet’s straight down, looking at the ground. That’s not a good football tackle.”
Fortunately for Hockenson, he suffered the injury after signing a four-year, $68.5 million extension, one that reset the tight end market. Therefore, the injury didn’t affect his livelihood. The grief he’s experiencing is related to not playing football rather than potentially losing out on life-changing money.
The Vikings are 4-0 without Hockenson. He would like to be playing, but he’s excited to see Sam Darnold, the receivers, and the tight end group play well in his absence.
“Sam’s been balling,” said Hockenson. “All the guys have been balling, J.J. (Justin Jefferson), J.A. (Jordan Addison), Speedy (Jalen Nailor), and the tight ends. We’ve had a couple of tugs the last couple of weeks. … When I get out there, I like to have fun, put a smile on people’s faces. I’m excited to get out there [and] enjoy the moment with the guys.”
Hockenson said he’d be excited to get back. It has to be encouraging to see the Vikings win while he is recovering. Regardless of whether he returns for the Lions or Rams game, he will join a team that has become a bona fide contender. Hockenson may have been in a dark place. However, once he’s ready to play, he’ll see a lot of light as he runs out of the tunnel.