TJ Hockenson is a professional football player in the National Football League. Following his draft in 2019, he currently plays for the NFL team Detroit Lions. The footballer serves as a tight end for the Lions.
Besides that, he played collegiate football at the University of Iowa with the Iowa Hawkeyes. The athlete is an exceptional football player and has received several honors and awards for his skills.
In his junior year, T.J. won the John Mackey Award. It is awarded to the most outstanding tight end in college football. Touchdown Club of Columbus also presented him with Ozzie Newsome Award for his contribution to college football.
Moreover, the former Hawkeye was selected to play in the Pro Bowl in his second NFL year. Hockenson has already shown the Detroit team his true potential. He gets better with every game.
Although he suffered a serious injury in his first season with the Lions, he returned bigger and better. In the 2020 season, he caught a touchdown leading to Detroit’s third win.
Before details about former Hawkeye’s life and career, here are some quick facts about him.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Thomas James Hockenson |
| Birth Date | July 3, 1997 |
| Birth Place | Chariton, Iowa, the United States |
| Nick Name | T.J., Hock |
| Religion | Christian |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Chariton High School |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Father’s Name | Tod Hockenson |
| Mother’s Name | Teri Hockenson |
| Siblings | Three; Matt, Andy, Kelsey |
| Age | 23 |
| Height | 6 feet 5 inches |
| Weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Eye Color | Blue |
| Build | Athletic |
| Profession | NFL Player |
| Current Team | Detroit Lions |
| Position | Tight-End |
| Active Years | 2019 – Present |
| Marital Status | Unmarried |
| Girlfriend | Carley Arnold |
| Kids | None |
| Net Worth | $14 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
TJ Hockenson | Early Life, Family, & Education
Thomas James Hockenson was born in Chariton, Iowa, the United States. His parents are Tod Hockenson and Teri Hockenson. Furthermore, his father is a Vice President of distribution at the supermarket chain Hy-Vee.
Besides that, Tod always inspired his son to pursue a career in sports. As a big football fan, he exposed his sons to the sports world early on. Correspondingly, Teri is the tight end’s biggest support system.
The parents have stood like a rock for their son’s dreams and career. Likewise, the two have attended every one of his games and events. Even now, they go to almost every one of his games to cheer him on.
Not to mention, Hock is very close to his grandparents. His grandfather, Max Cameron, has been very supportive and inspiring throughout his career. He predicted that Thomas would be an NFL star way before his draft. Max always had full faith in his grandson.
Moreover, T.J. has two brothers named Andy and Matt. They are 15 and 11 years older than him. They usually made him fetch the ball when they played. The NFL player would run all over his backyard with his tiny legs.
The older boys made him lap around the block if he didn’t catch it. Furthermore, the footballer often credits his brothers for his catching abilities. He also has a younger sibling named Kathy, a cheerleader for Chariton High School.
TJ Hockenson | Age, Height, & Weight
The former Charger is 23 years old as of July 3, 2020. He is energetic and hard-working on the field. Moreover, the athlete takes great care of his health and physique.
Hence, he is quite fit and toned. Furthermore, he is 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighs 250 lb, i.e., 113 kg.
TJ Hockenson | Football Career
High School Career
The athlete started his high school football journey with the Chariton Chargers. Along with football, he played high school basketball. Furthermore, he was a four-year varsity letter winner.
The footballer served the Chargers as a tight end and defensive back. He assisted the school team in record-breaking wins. Moreover, he helped them reach the state finals and was the All-State First Team.
Popular college football websites considered Hock a Three-Star recruit and the Seventh-Highest Rated recruit. After an exceptional career with Chariton, he joined the University of Iowa to play collegiate football.
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College Career
The former Chargers is very fond of Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski. His college tight-end coach Brian Frentz had a chance to coach the former Patriot player. So, he showed Thomas several clips on how Gronk explored his true potential.
Furthermore, Hawkeye was very impressed and inspired by Rob. As a redshirt, the tight end didn’t play his freshman year.
Nevertheless, he proved his value to the Hawkeyes in his sophomore by recording several receptions and touchdowns. Besides that, the NFL player won several awards in his junior year. The footballer received the John Mackey Award and Ozzie Newsome Award in 2018.
Correspondingly, voters selected the Lions player to the First-team All-Big Ten that same year. T.J. also received Kwalick–Clark Tight End of the Year for his outstanding tight-end abilities. Furthermore, he didn’t play his senior year. Instead, he chose to enter the 2019 NFL Draft.
He broke the news through social media. After that, Hockenson thanked his college coach and Hawkeyes for allowing him to play with them. The athlete elaborated that NFL was his lifelong dream and felt it was time to pursue it.
NFL Career
After entering the 2019 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions drafted Thomas in the first round. Moreover, he was the eighth pick overall. The Lions signed a $19.8 million contract with the tight end for four years.
He made his debut as a Lion in a game against the Arizona Cardinals. Furthermore, the former Hawkeye was the only tight end in NFL history to make 131 yards in their first game.
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However, his first NFL season ended in horror when he endured a severe injury in his leg. Nevertheless, he has recovered and is back on the field. He was placed on the COVID-19 reserved list at the beginning of 2020.
Hock was allowed to play ten days later. Although 2020 wasn’t fruitful for many, he had a productive year career-wise. Along with having an outstanding season, the tight end made it to his first Pro Bowl.
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Severe Leg and Ankle Injury
In Hockenson’s rookie season, he sustained a critical injury to his leg. The injury landed him in the hospital and eventually on the injured list. On the 2019 Thanksgiving game, Chicago Bears‘ linebacker Roquan Smith tackled him.
During the altercation, T.J. got his leg stuck under his weight. As a result, he broke his leg and tore some ligaments in his ankle. He has recovered well and is actively playing for the Lions.
TJ Hockenson | Girlfriend, Marriage, & Kid
The NFL tight end is in a relationship with Carley Arnold. Both of them attended Chariton High School. Hence, they are high school sweethearts. Moreover, the couple is still going strong.
Arnold is also best known as the 2017 Miss Iowa Teen USA winner. It was her first pageant and only crown. Although she went to the Miss Teen USA pageant, Carley didn’t manage to win the crown. Nevertheless, she made it to the Top 15.
Besides that, she was equally good in sports and academics. The pageant winner played four sports in high school. She was an exceptional athlete in volleyball, basketball, softball, and tennis. Furthermore, she graduated with a 4.2 GPA.
Following high school graduation, she attended the University of Northern Iowa. The former athlete majored in Exercise Science. She has been accepted to Belmont University for their Doctorate of Physical Therapy program.
Currently, Carley lives in Nashville, le, while T.J. is in Detroit with his NFL team. Nonetheless, the love between the two is stronger than the distance between them. Botm is focused on their respectivcareerser, so marriage and kids may be a little farther.
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TJ Hockenson | Net Worth & Salary
The athlete has built impressive wealth in his two years in the National Football League.
THE TIGHT END HAS SIGNED A $19.8 MILLION WORTH CONTRACT WITH THE LIONS. FURTHERMORE, T.J. HAS ALREADY EARNED OVER $12 MILLION OF HIS $19.8 MILLION DEAL. MOREOVER, HE IS GUARANTEED TO EARN OVER $2 MILLION IN THE 2021 SEASON.
Besides that, Hockenson earns a fair amount from sponsorships. Many well-known companies and brands have endorsed him. He also makes through appearing and speaking at events to which he’s invited.
TJ Hockenson | Social Media Presence
The former Hawkeye is quite active on social media platforms. Hence, he has an Instagram handle with 64.2 thousand followers. The player mostly has NFL-related photos on his account. Moreover, he has shared pictures of himself on the field with his teammates.
Besides that, he has posted several game highlights. T.J. has also expressed gratitude to the Lions for drafting him through his social media. Likewise, he also gives us a sneak peek into his workout routines and training sessions.
SOCIAL MEDIA VOTING STARTS TODAY!! RETWEET TO VOTE 🗳 #PROBOWLVOTE @THEEHOCK8 PIC.TWITTER.COM/DCSEBGAJDA
— TJ HOCKENSON (@THEEHOCK8) DECEMBER 2, 2020
The footballer also loves sharing his adorable parents, siblings, and dogs in his account. Aside from that, the tight end is also on Twitter, with 26.6 thousand followers. He is less active on this handle and has less than 300 tweets.
He usually shares football-associated news and highlights. Recently, Hock tweeted a celebratory post on his first Pro Bowl selection. Furthermore, many celebrities and well-known athletes follow him.
Common Queries
What happened to TJ Hockenson?
In his first NFL season, T.J. suffered a severe injury to his leg and ankle. He had broken his leg and torn some ligaments in his ankle. As a result of the injury, he was placed on the injured list. However, he is recovered as of now.
What is TJ Hockenson’s salary?
After signing a $19.8 million deal with the Detroit Lions, Hockenson has an annual salary of $4,955,306.
How many touchdowns does TJ Hockenson have?
In the entirety of Hock’s NFL career, he has made eight touchdowns. He made two touchdowns in his first NFL season and six in his second. After his second season, he was selected for the Pro Bowl 2021.
