Austin Hooper
{{Short description|American football player (born 1994)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Austin Hooper
| image = File:Austin Hooper Browns OCT2021 (cropped).jpg
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption = Hooper with the Cleveland Browns in 2021
| current_team = New England Patriots
| number = 81
| position = Tight end
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|10|29}}
| birth_place = San Mateo, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 254
| high_school = De La Salle
(Concord, California)
| college = Stanford (2013–2015)
| draftyear = 2016
| draftround = 3
| draftpick = 81
| undraftedyear =
| pastteams =
- Atlanta Falcons ({{NFL Year|2016}}–{{NFL Year|2019}})
- Cleveland Browns ({{NFL Year|2020}}–{{NFL Year|2021}})
- Tennessee Titans ({{NFL Year|2022}})
- Las Vegas Raiders ({{NFL Year|2023}})
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2024}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- 2× Pro Bowl (2018, 2019)
- Third-team All-American (2015)
- First-team All-Pac-12 (2015)
- Second-team All-Pac-12 (2014)
| statweek = 18
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Receptions
| statvalue1 = 409
| statlabel2 = Receiving yards
| statvalue2 = 4,178
| statlabel3 = Receiving touchdowns
| statvalue3 = 28
| pfr = H/HoopAu00
}}
Austin Manuel Hooper (born October 29, 1994) is an American professional football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Stanford Cardinal, and was selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.
Early life
After leaving Pine Valley Middle School in San Ramon, California, and graduating from St. Raymond School in Dublin, California, Hooper attended De La Salle High School in Concord, California, where he played for the football team. He was rated by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit and committed to Stanford University to play college football.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper, 2013 Weakside Defensive End |url=https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2013/austin-hooper-12048 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Rivals.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=January 14, 2013 |title=Stanford football receives commitment from top tight end |url=http://www.paloaltoonline.com/news/2013/01/14/stanford-football-receives-commitment-from-top-tight-end |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=Palo Alto Online}} Hooper was listed as a defensive end by Rivals and also by ESPN who had him rated as a four-star recruit and the #261 player overall in the nation regardless of position.
College career
After redshirting his first year at Stanford in 2013, Hooper played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014.{{Cite web |last=FitzGerald |first=Tom |date=July 31, 2014 |title=Austin Hooper is man to beat at tight end for Stanford |url=http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Austin-Hooper-is-man-to-beat-at-tight-end-for-5658582.php |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=SFGate.com}}{{Cite web |last=FitzGerald |first=Tom |date=December 17, 2014 |title=Hooper helping re-establish tight end position at Stanford |url=http://www.sfgate.com/collegesports/article/Hooper-helping-re-establish-tight-end-position-at-5961563.php |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=SFGate.com}} He finished the season with 40 receptions for 499 yards and two touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2014 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/austin-hooper-1/gamelog/2014/ |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}} As a sophomore in 2015, Hooper had 34 receptions for 438 yards for six touchdowns, including a career best 79 yards and a touchdown in an upset of then #6 USC.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2015 Game Log |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/austin-hooper-1/gamelog/2015/ |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Stanford at Southern California Box Score, September 19, 2015 |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/boxscores/2015-09-19-southern-california.html |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}} He was a finalist for the John Mackey Award,{{Cite web |date=November 24, 2015 |title=College football: Christian McCaffrey, Joshua Garnett, Austin Hooper and Michael Carrizosa finalists for awards |url=http://www.mercurynews.com/sports/ci_29163440/college-football-christian-mccaffrey-joshua-garnett-austin-hooper |website=Mercury News |agency=Associated Press}} and First-team All-Pac-12 Conference.{{Cite web |date=March 31, 2016 |title=Austin Hooper highlights: Talented tight end looking to make an impact on Sundays |url=http://pac-12.com/videos/austin-hooper-highlights-talented-tight-end-looking-make-impact-sundays |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171228171910/http://pac-12.com/videos/austin-hooper-highlights-talented-tight-end-looking-make-impact-sundays |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 28, 2017 |access-date=December 28, 2017 |website=Pac-12 |language=en}}
=College statistics=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||
| rowspan="2"| Season
! rowspan="2"| Team ! rowspan="2"| Conf ! rowspan="2"| Class ! rowspan="2"| Pos ! rowspan="2"| GP ! colspan="4"| Receiving | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2014 | Stanford | Pac-12
| FR || TE || 13 || 40 || 499 || 12.5 || 2 | |||
| 2015 | Stanford | Pac-12
| SO || TE || 13 || 34 || 438 || 12.9 || 6 | |||
| colspan="5"| [https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/austin-hooper-1.html Career] | 26 | 74 | 937 | 12.7 | 8 |
Professional career
=Pre-draft=
On January 4, 2016, it was announced that Hooper would enter the 2016 NFL draft, forfeiting his last two years of eligibility. Hooper came to the decision after discussing it with his head coach David Shaw and his family. He chose to declare due to the draft class being really thin at tight end and his draft stock being high after coming off an impressive season.{{Cite web |date=January 4, 2016 |title=Stanford TE Austin Hooper declares for draft |url=https://wtop.com/nfl/2016/01/stanford-te-austin-hooper-declares-for-draft/ |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=wtop.com |agency=Associated Press}}{{Dead link|date=December 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was one of 15 tight ends to receive an invitation to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana.{{Cite web |last=Sharp |first=Katie |date=February 11, 2016 |title=Here's the complete list of players invited to the 2016 NFL Combine, led by 14 from Ohio State |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/2/11/10967624/2016-nfl-scouting-combine-invited-players-list-ohio-state |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=SBNation.com}} He had an overall impressive performance, finishing third among all tight ends in the 40-yard dash, fourth in the bench press, fifth in the three-cone drill, and finished sixth among his position group in the vertical.{{Cite web |last=Brady |first=James |date=February 27, 2016 |title=NFL Combine 2016 results: Full times, measurements for tight ends |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2016/2/27/11126486/2016-nfl-combine-results-tight-end-drills |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=SBNation.com}} On March 17, 2016, Hooper opted to participate at Stanford's Pro Day and chose to only perform positional drills for scouts and team representatives from all 32 NFL teams, that also included San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly and Oakland Raiders offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave.{{Cite web |date=March 16, 2016 |title=Pro Day on Tap |url=http://www.gostanford.com/news/2016/3/16/210809488.aspx |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=GoStanford.com}}{{Cite web |last=Mazeika |first=Vytas |date=March 23, 2016 |title=Stanford football: NFL Draft hopefuls impress scouts at pro day |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/23/stanford-football-nfl-draft-hopefuls-impress-scouts-at-pro-day/ |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=MercuryNews.com}} Throughout the pre-draft process, Hooper attended private workouts and visits with the Miami Dolphins, Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, and Tennessee Titans.{{Cite web |last=Lambert |first=Terry |date=March 24, 2016 |title=2016 NFL Draft: Titans visit with tight end prospects Austin Hooper, Stephen Anderson |url=https://www.musiccitymiracles.com/2016/3/24/11296594/titans-visit-with-two-tight-end-prospects-2016-nfl-draft-austin-hooper-stephen-anderson |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=Musiccitymiracles.com}}{{Cite web |last=Klis |first=Mike |date=April 21, 2016 |title=BRONCOS DRAFT PREVIEW: TIGHT ENDS |url=http://www.9news.com/mobile/article/sports/nfl/denver-broncos/mike-klis/broncos-draft-preview-tight-ends/147817875 |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=9news.com}} Hooper was projected to be a second or third round pick by NFL draft experts and scouts. He was ranked the second best tight end prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com and the third best tight end by Sports Illustrated and NFL analyst Mike Mayock.{{Cite web |title=*Austin Hooper, DS #2 TE, Stanford |url=http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=127324&draftyear=2016&genpos=TE |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=NFLDraftScout.com}}{{Cite web |last=Burke |first=Chris |date=April 12, 2016 |title=2016 NFL Draft Position Rankings |url=https://www.si.com/nfl/2016/04/12/nfl-draft-2016-position-rankings-players-prospects |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=si.com}}{{Cite web |last=Mayock |first=Mike |date=April 27, 2016 |title=Mike Mayock's 2016 NFL Draft position rankings 5.0 |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000656285/article/mike-mayocks-2016-nfl-draft-position-rankings-50 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428120518/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000656285/article/mike-mayocks-2016-nfl-draft-position-rankings-50 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 28, 2016 |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=NFL.com}}
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 3 3/4
| weight = 254
| dash = 4.72
| ten split = 1.63
| twenty split = 2.75
| shuttle = 4.32
| cone drill = 7.00
| vertical = 33
| broad ft = 9
| broad in = 9
| bench = 19
| arm span = 33 3/4
| hand span = 10 5/8
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |title=NFL Events: Combine Player Profiles - Austin Hooper |url=http://www.nfl.com/draft/2016/profiles/austin-hooper?id=2555415#tabs:tab-overview |publisher=National Football League}}
}}
=Atlanta Falcons=
==2016 season==
File:Austin Hooper 2016.jpg in 2016.]]
The Falcons selected Hooper in the third round (81st overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft.{{Cite web |title=2016 NFL Draft Listing |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2016/draft.htm |access-date=2023-05-17 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} He was the second tight end selected,
behind Arkansas' Hunter Henry who the San Diego Chargers selected in the second round (35th overall).{{Cite web |last=Chambers |first=Matthew |date=April 29, 2016 |title=NFL Draft: the Falcons select TE Austin Hooper |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/4/29/11541832/nfl-draft-the-atlanta-falcons-select-in-the-third-round |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=The Falcoholic |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=May 5, 2016 |title=Falcons First Team to Sign Entire Draft Class |url=http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-First-Team-to-Sign-Entire-Draft-Class/375e8756-cf30-41b5-b6fe-f95ea1c8170f |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170729111748/http://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/blog/article-1/Falcons-First-Team-to-Sign-Entire-Draft-Class/375e8756-cf30-41b5-b6fe-f95ea1c8170f |archive-date=July 29, 2017 |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=AtlantaFalcons.com}} Hooper was reunited with former Stanford teammate Levine Toilolo.
On May 5, 2016, the Falcons signed Hooper to a four-year, $3.21 million contract that includes a signing bonus of $773,428.{{Cite web |title=Spotrac.com: Austin Hooper contract |url=http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/atlanta-falcons/austin-hooper-19035/ |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=Spotrac.com}}
Throughout his first training camp, Hooper competed with Levine Toilolo and Jacob Tamme for job as the starting tight end.{{Cite web |title=Ourlads.com: Atlanta Falcons' depth chart: 07/01/2016 |url=http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/archive/185/ATL |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=Ourlads.com}} Head coach Dan Quinn named him the third tight end on the Falcons' depth chart behind Tamme and Toilolo.{{Cite web |last=Chaote |first=Dave |date=September 3, 2016 |title=The Falcons 53 man roster and projected depth chart after final cuts |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2016/9/3/12785172/the-falcons-53-man-roster-projected-depth-charts-atlanta-roster-cuts |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=TheFalconholic.com}}
Hooper made his NFL debut in the Falcons' season-opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and made the first catch of his career on a 14-yard pass by Matt Ryan in the third quarter before being tackled by Buccaneers' safety Bradley McDougald during a 31–24 loss.{{Cite web |title=Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons - September 11th, 2016 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201609110atl.htm |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} On October 2, Hooper caught his first NFL touchdown on a 42-yard pass by Matt Ryan in a 48–33 victory over the Carolina Panthers.{{Cite web |title=Carolina Panthers at Atlanta Falcons - October 2nd, 2016 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201610020atl.htm |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} During a Week 8 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, Hooper earned his first NFL start and had a season-high five receptions for 41 yards in a narrow 33–32 victory.{{Cite web |title=Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons - October 30th, 2016 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201610300atl.htm |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} Starting tight end Jacob Tamme suffered a shoulder injury during the game and was placed on injured/reserve for the remainder of the season on November 21, 2016.{{Cite web |last=Pantorno |first=Joe |date=November 10, 2016 |title=Jacob Tamme Injury: Updates on Falcons TE's Recovery from Shoulder Surgery |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2588783-jacob-tamme-injury-updates-on-falcons-tes-shoulder-and-return |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=bleacherreport.com}}{{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} The following week, he made three receptions for 46 yards and scored on a two-yard pass from Matt Ryan as the Falcons routed the Buccaneers 43–28.{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - November 3rd, 2016 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201611030tam.htm |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} In Week 15, Hooper caught a nine-yard pass during a 41–13 victory over the 49ers, but left after suffering a grade-2 knee sprain that caused him to miss the remaining two games of the regular season.{{Cite web |last=Weaver |first=Tim |date=January 1, 2017 |title=Falcons rookie Austin Hooper has grade-2 knee sprain |url=https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2017/01/01/falcons-rookie-austin-hooper-has-grade-2-knee-sprain/ |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=Falcons Wire}} He finished his only season under offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan in the {{NFL Year|2016}} season with 19 receptions for 271 receiving yards and three touchdowns in three starts and 14 games.{{Cite web |date=January 10, 2017 |title=Falcons' Austin Hooper: Making progress |url=http://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/falcons-austin-hooper-making-progress/ |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=CBSSports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2016 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2016/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
The Falcons finished the 2016 season atop the NFC South with an 11-5 record. On January 14, 2017, Hooper appeared in his first playoff game and caught a ten-yard pass as the Falcons defeated the Seattle Seahawks 36–20 in the NFC Wild Card Round.{{Cite web |title=Divisional Round - Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons - January 14th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201701140atl.htm |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} After the Falcons defeated the Packers in the NFC Championship, they went on to face the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LI.{{Cite web |title=NFC Championship - Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons - January 22nd, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201701220atl.htm |access-date=December 26, 2017 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} During the game, Hooper made three receptions for 32 yards and scored a 19-yard touchdown in the second quarter of the Falcons 34–28 overtime loss.{{Cite web |title=Super Bowl LI - New England Patriots vs. Atlanta Falcons - February 5th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201702050atl.htm |access-date=August 6, 2017 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}}
==2017 season==
Hooper entered training camp slated as the starting tight end after the retirement of Jacob Tamme. He was named the starting tight end to begin the regular season under new offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian.{{Cite web |last=Choate |first=Dave |date=September 5, 2017 |title=The Falcons' first "unofficial" depth chart has exactly zero surprises |url=https://www.thefalcoholic.com/2017/9/5/16257966/atlanta-falcons-unofficial-depth-chart-2017-nfl-season-opener-chicago-bears |access-date=December 20, 2017 |website=thefalconholic.com}}
Hooper started the Falcons' season-opener at the Chicago Bears and made two receptions for a career-high 128 receiving yards and caught a career-long 88-yard touchdown reception thrown by quarterback Matt Ryan in a 23–17 victory.{{Cite web |date=September 10, 2017 |title=Falcons' Austin Hooper: Scores long touchdown in win over Bears |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/football/news/falcons-austin-hooper-scores-long-touchdown-in-win-over-bears/ |access-date=September 10, 2017 |website=CBS Sports}}{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons at Chicago Bears - September 10th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201709100chi.htm |access-date=September 14, 2017 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com}} During a Week 4 contest against the Buffalo Bills, Hooper tied his then career-high with five receptions for 50 receiving yards during a 23–17 loss.{{Cite web |title=Buffalo Bills at Atlanta Falcons - October 1st, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201710010atl.htm |access-date=December 28, 2017 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} On October 15, 2017, he caught a career-high seven passes for 48 yards in the Falcons' 20–17 loss to the Dolphins.{{Cite web |title=Miami Dolphins at Atlanta Falcons - October 15th, 2017 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201710150atl.htm |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} At the midpoint of the 16-game season, Hooper was second on the team in receiving yards only to All-Pro wide receiver Julio Jones.{{Cite web |title=Atlanta Falcons receiving, Weeks 1–9, 2017 season |url=http://pfref.com/tiny/VWwIH |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} Overall, Hooper finished the 2017 season with 49 receptions for 526 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2017 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2017/ |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
==2018 season==
Hooper remained as the Falcons' starting tight end going into the 2018 season.{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Will |date=July 16, 2018 |title=Falcons 2018 roster outlook: 5 things to know about the tight ends |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/falcons-2018-roster-outlook-5-things-to-know-about-the-tight-ends |access-date=November 1, 2018 |website=Atlanta Falcons |language=en-US}} He scored his first receiving touchdown of the season in Week 2 against the Panthers.{{Cite web |date=September 16, 2018 |title=Refocused, NFL Week 2: Atlanta Falcons 31, Carolina Panthers 24 |url=https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-refocused-nfl-week-2-atlanta-falcons-31-carolina-panthers-24 |access-date=December 5, 2018 |website=www.profootballfocus.com}} In Week 11, against the Cleveland Browns, he had a career-high 10 receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown in the loss.{{Cite web |title=Cleveland Browns put dent in Atlanta Falcons' playoff hopes |url=https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/NFL/2018/11/11/Cleveland-Browns-put-dent-in-Atlanta-Falcons-playoff-hopes/4661541980286/ |access-date=December 5, 2018 |website=UPI |language=en}} He finished the season with 71 receptions for 660 yards and four touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} On January 15, 2019, Hooper was named to his first Pro Bowl as a replacement for Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.{{Cite web |last=Weaver |first=Tim |date=January 16, 2019 |title=Falcons TE Austin Hooper to replace Zach Ertz in Pro Bowl |url=https://thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2019/01/16/falcons-te-austin-hooper-to-replace-zach-ertz-in-pro-bowl/ |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Falcons Wire |language=en}}
==2019 season==
In Week 3 against the Indianapolis Colts, Hooper caught six passes for 66 yards and two touchdowns as the Falcons lost 27–24.{{Cite web |date=September 22, 2019 |title=Brissett's fast start helps Colts hold off Falcons 27-24 |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401127929 |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}} In Week 4 against the Titans, Hooper caught nine passes for a career-high 130 yards in the 24–10 loss.{{Cite web |date=September 29, 2019 |title=Mariota throws 3 first-half TD passes, Titans drop Falcons |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128016 |access-date=September 29, 2019 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press}} In Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals, Hooper caught 8 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in the 34–33 loss.{{Cite web |date=October 13, 2019 |title=Cardinals beat Falcons 34-33 after Bryant's extra point miss |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/recap?gameId=401128126 |access-date=October 13, 2019 |website=ESPN.com}} In Week 10 against the New Orleans Saints, Hooper had four receptions for 17 yards and a touchdown in the 26–9 win. Hooper suffered an MCL sprain during the win and was ruled out for the next three games.{{Cite web |date=November 13, 2019 |title=Injuries: Falcons TE Austin Hooper suffered MCL sprain |url=https://www.nfl.com/news/injuries-falcons-te-austin-hooper-suffered-mcl-sprain-0ap3000001076460 |access-date=January 20, 2020 |website=NFL.com |language=en}} In Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hooper caught seven passes for 82 yards in the 24–12 win.{{Cite web |title=Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons - December 22nd, 2019 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/201912220atl.htm |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} On January 20, 2020, Hooper was named to his second Pro Bowl as a replacement for 49ers tight end George Kittle.{{Cite web |last=McFadden |first=Will |date=January 20, 2020 |title=Report: Falcons TE Austin Hooper headed to Pro Bowl |url=https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/report-falcons-tight-end-austin-hooper-headed-to-pro-bowl?campaign=sf:fanshare:facebook |access-date=January 20, 2020 |website=www.atlantafalcons.com |language=en-US}} Overall, Hooper finished the 2019 season with 75 receptions for 787 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2019 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2019/ |access-date=March 15, 2020 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
=Cleveland Browns=
On March 20, 2020, Hooper signed a four-year deal with the Browns.{{Cite web |last=Gribble |first=Andrew |date=March 20, 2020 |title=Browns add another big offensive weapon, sign TE Austin Hooper |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-add-another-big-offensive-weapon-sign-te-austin-hooper |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}} The deal is worth $44 million, with a $10 million signing bonus.{{Cite web |last=Risdon |first=Jeff |date=March 18, 2020 |title=Austin Hooper: Breaking down his contract details with the Browns |url=https://brownswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/18/austin-hooper-breaking-down-his-contract-details-with-the-browns/ |access-date=March 19, 2020 |website=Browns Wire |language=en}} Hooper finished the 2020 regular season with 46 catches for 435 yards and four touchdowns in his debut season for the Browns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2020 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2020/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} In the Wild Card Round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hooper caught seven passes for 46 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets.{{Cite web |title=Wild Card - Cleveland Browns at Pittsburgh Steelers - January 10th, 2021 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202101100pit.htm |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
Hooper was the starting tight end going into the 2021 season for the Browns.{{Cite web |title=Cleveland Browns Depth Chart Archive |url=https://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/archive/249/CLE |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=www.ourlads.com}} He finished the season with 38 receptions for 345 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2021 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2021/ |access-date=November 16, 2022 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}} On March 17, 2022, he was released by the Browns.{{Cite web |date=March 17, 2022 |title=Browns release TE Austin Hooper |url=https://www.clevelandbrowns.com/news/browns-release-te-austin-hooper |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=ClevelandBrowns.com}}
=Tennessee Titans=
File:Austin Hooper Tennessee Titans Interview.png
On March 21, 2022, Hooper signed a one-year contract with the Titans.{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Jim |date=March 21, 2022 |title=Six Things to Know About TE Austin Hooper, Who Has Agreed to Terms on a One-Year Deal With the Titans |url=https://www.tennesseetitans.com/news/six-things-to-know-about-te-austin-hooper-who-has-agreed-to-terms-with-the-titan |access-date=November 15, 2022 |website=TennesseeTitans.com}} In the 2022 season, Hooper had 41 receptions for 444 yards and two touchdowns, which both came in Week 11 against the Packers.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2022 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2022/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers - November 17th, 2022 |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/202211170gnb.htm |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
=Las Vegas Raiders=
On March 22, 2023, Hooper signed with the Las Vegas Raiders.{{Cite web |date=March 22, 2023 |title=Raiders sign TE Austin Hooper |url=https://www.raiders.com/news/raiders-sign-tight-end-austin-hooper-nfl-2023-free-agency-transactions |access-date=March 22, 2023 |website=Raiders.com}} In the 2023 season, Hooper had 25 receptions for 234 yards in 17 games and nine starts.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
=New England Patriots=
On March 14, 2024, Hooper signed with the New England Patriots.{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2024 |title=Patriots Sign Four Unrestricted Free Agents |url=https://www.patriots.com/news/patriots-sign-four-unrestricted-free-agents |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=Patriots.com}} Hooper finished the 2024 season with 45 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns.{{Cite web |title=Austin Hooper 2024 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/2024/ |access-date=2025-01-31 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
On March 9, 2025, Hooper re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year, $5 million contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.patriots.com/news/reports-patriots-get-early-jump-on-free-agency-add-two-familiar-vets|work=Patriots.com|title=Reports: Patriots Get Early Jump on Free Agency, Add Two Familiar Vets|date=March 9, 2025|accessdate=March 10, 2025|first=Mike|last=Dussault}}
NFL career statistics
=Regular season=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | |||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 2016 | ATL
| 14 || 3 || 19 || 271 || 14.3 || 44 || 3 | ||||||
| 2017 | ATL
| 16 || 8 || 41 || 526 || 12.8 || 88 || 3 | ||||||
| 2018 | ATL
| 16 || 7 || 71 || 660 || 9.3 || 36 || 4 | ||||||
| 2019 | ATL
| 13 || 10 || 75 || 787 || 10.5 || 35 || 6 | ||||||
| 2020 | CLE
| 13 || 13 || 46 || 435 || 9.5 || 36 || 4 | ||||||
| 2021 | CLE
| 16 || 16 || 38 || 345 || 9.1 || 34 || 3 | ||||||
| 2022 | TEN
| 17 || 2 || 41 || 444 || 10.8 || 24 || 2 | ||||||
| 2023 | LV
| 17 || 9 || 25 || 234 || 9.4 || 21 || 0 | ||||||
| 2024 | NE
| 17 || 8 || 45 || 476 || 10.6 || 38 || 3 | ||||||
| colspan="2" | [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00.htm Total] | 139 | 76 | 409 | 4,178 | 10.2 | 88 | 28 |
=Postseason=
| class=wikitable style="text-align:center;" | |||||||
| rowspan="2"| Year
! rowspan="2"| Team ! colspan="2"| Games ! colspan="5"| Receiving | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | GS | Rec | Yds | Avg | Lng | TD | |
| 2016 | ATL
| 3 || 1 || 6 || 65 || 10.8 || 19 || 1 | ||||||
| 2017 | ATL
| 2 || 2 || 4 || 18 || 4.5 || 5 || 0 | ||||||
| 2020 | CLE
| 2 || 2 || 9 || 62 || 6.9 || 11 || 1 | ||||||
| colspan="2"| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HoopAu00/gamelog/post/ Total] | 7 | 5 | 19 | 145 | 7.6 | 19 | 2 |
Personal life
Hooper is of African-American, Mexican, Irish, Native American and Belgian descent.{{cite web |last1=McClure |first1=Vaughn |title=Austin Hooper soaking up wisdom from Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez |url=https://www.espn.com/blog/atlanta-falcons/post/_/id/34404/austin-hooper-soaking-up-wisdom-from-hall-of-famer-tony-gonzalez |website=ESPN.com |access-date=29 July 2024 |language=English |date=1 Aug 2019}}
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{commons}}
{{footballstats|pfr=H/HoopAu00|yahoo=29315|espn=3043275|nfl=austin-hooper}}
- [https://twitter.com/austinhooper18 Twitter]
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/austin-hooper/ New England Patriots bio]
- [http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=208605968 Stanford Cardinal bio]
{{New England Patriots roster navbox}}
{{Falcons2016DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hooper, Austin}}
Category:American football tight ends
Category:American sportspeople of Mexican descent
Category:American people of Irish descent
Category:American people of Belgian descent
Category:Native American players of American football
Category:Atlanta Falcons players
Category:Cleveland Browns players
Category:Las Vegas Raiders players
Category:Sportspeople from San Ramon, California
Category:Players of American football from Contra Costa County, California
Category:Stanford Cardinal football players
Category:National Conference Pro Bowl players
Category:Tennessee Titans players
Category:De La Salle High School (Concord, California) alumni
Category:New England Patriots players
Category:Hispanic and Latino American players of American football