News · Analysis · Community · Forever SkolT.J. Hockenson caught all 13 passes thrown his way Sunday against the Miami Dolphins, finishing with 119 yards and turning down a potential touchdown to help the Minnesota Vikings run out the clock, according to PurplePTSD. The performance came with Justin Jefferson out of the lineup and Minnesota's passing offense otherwise struggling to find rhythm.
Jordan Addison finished with just four catches and Jauan Jennings drew only a single target, per the report. Hockenson's workload stood in sharp contrast: he had been targeted 13 times through the first three games of the season combined, then matched that total in a single outing against Miami. His longest reception went for 22 yards, with PurplePTSD noting he consistently came down with passes while absorbing contact. PurplePTSD suggests Kyler Murray leaned on Hockenson for quick, reliable completions with his top wide receiver sidelined — an interpretation offered by the outlet rather than a confirmed game plan from the team.
Hockenson is extended but entering the final year of his current contract and will turn 30 next season, according to the report. He is already at 22 receptions this year after totaling 51 catches across 15 games last season, the report states. His touchdown production has declined since his first full season in Minnesota, when he caught five scoring passes; he did not score at all in 2024 and found the end zone three times last season, per PurplePTSD. He has not scored since Week 1 this year despite Sunday's opportunity.
The report frames Hockenson as a likely safety valve for Murray even after Jefferson returns, with Addison remaining central to the offense and Jennings and Josh Oliver — the latter believed done for the season, per PurplePTSD — unlikely to factor heavily. Whether Sunday's workload signals a sustained role, and whether it affects Hockenson's next contract, remains speculation rather than established fact at this point in the season.