Austin Hooper Bio
Austin Manuel Hooper 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. Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 248 pounds, Hooper has developed into a reliable pass-catching tight end across multiple franchises since entering the league.
Over the course of his NFL career, Hooper has played for the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland Browns, Tennessee Titans, Las Vegas Raiders, and New England Patriots. A two-time Pro Bowl selection, he has been recognized as one of the more productive receiving tight ends of his era.
Early Life and Background
Austin Manuel Hooper was born on October 29, 1994, in San Mateo, California. He grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and attended De La Salle High School in Concord, California, one of the most storied football programs in the country. At De La Salle, Hooper played for the football team and drew recruiting attention from several major college programs.
Hooper was rated by Rivals.com as a three-star recruit, while ESPN listed him as a four-star recruit and ranked him as the 261st player overall in the nation regardless of position. Rivals listed him as a defensive end during the recruiting process, though his future in the sport would come on the offensive side of the ball. He ultimately committed to Stanford University to play college football.
Hooper is of African-American, Mexican, Irish, Native American, and Belgian descent. His multicultural background shaped his upbringing in the Bay Area, a region known for producing versatile football talent.
Path to Professional Football
After redshirting his first year at Stanford in 2013, Hooper played in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014. He finished that season with 40 receptions for 499 yards and two touchdowns, showing enough promise to earn a larger role the following year. He was also named Second-team All-Pac-12 Conference in 2014 for his contributions.
As a sophomore in 2015, Hooper had 34 receptions for 438 yards and six touchdowns. He recorded a career-best 79 receiving yards and a touchdown in an upset of then-No. 6 USC. His strong play that season made him a finalist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to the nation’s top college tight end, and he earned First-team All-Pac-12 honors along with Third-team All-American recognition.
On January 4, 2016, Hooper announced that he would forgo his final two years of college eligibility and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. The draft class was considered thin at the tight end position, which elevated his draft stock. He was one of 15 tight ends invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, where he finished third among all tight ends in the 40-yard dash, fourth in the bench press, fifth in the three-cone drill, and sixth in the vertical jump. He was ranked as the second-best tight end prospect in the draft by NFLDraftScout.com and the third-best by Sports Illustrated and NFL analyst Mike Mayock.
Austin Hooper Career
Atlanta Falcons (2016-2019)
The Atlanta Falcons selected Hooper in the third round, 81st overall, of the 2016 NFL Draft. He was the second tight end taken, behind Arkansas’s Hunter Henry. On May 5, 2016, the Falcons signed him to a four-year, $3.21 million contract that included a signing bonus of $773,428. Hooper made his NFL debut in the season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and caught his first career touchdown on a 42-yard pass from Matt Ryan in a Week 4 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He finished his rookie year with 19 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns.
Hooper’s role expanded significantly in 2017 after the retirement of veteran Jacob Tamme. In the season opener against the Chicago Bears, he set career highs with 128 receiving yards and an 88-yard touchdown reception from Matt Ryan. He finished the year with 49 catches for 526 yards and three touchdowns, ranking second on the team in receiving yards behind Julio Jones. In 2018, Hooper recorded 71 receptions for 660 yards and four touchdowns and was named to his first Pro Bowl as a replacement for Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz. He followed that with 75 receptions for 787 yards and six touchdowns in 2019, earning a second consecutive Pro Bowl nod.
Hooper’s four seasons in Atlanta included an appearance in Super Bowl LI following the 2016 campaign, where he caught three passes for 32 yards and a 19-yard touchdown in the Falcons’ 34-28 overtime loss to the New England Patriots. He departed Atlanta having established himself as one of the most productive receiving tight ends in the NFC.
Cleveland Browns (2020-2021)
On March 20, 2020, Hooper signed a four-year, $44 million contract with the Cleveland Browns that included a $10 million signing bonus, making him one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league at the time. In his first season with the Browns, he recorded 46 receptions for 435 yards and four touchdowns. He added seven catches for 46 yards and a touchdown on 11 targets in a Wild Card playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Hooper remained the starting tight end in 2021 and finished the year with 38 receptions for 345 receiving yards and three touchdowns. On March 17, 2022, he was released by the Browns, concluding his two-year tenure in Cleveland.
Tennessee Titans (2022)
On March 21, 2022, Hooper signed a one-year contract with the Tennessee Titans. He appeared in the 2022 season and recorded 41 receptions for 444 yards and two touchdowns, with both scores coming in a Week 11 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. His production helped stabilize the tight end position for a Titans team that relied on a strong running game.
Las Vegas Raiders (2023)
On March 22, 2023, Hooper signed with the Las Vegas Raiders. During the 2023 season, he played in 17 games with nine starts and finished with 25 receptions for 234 yards. Though his role was more limited in Las Vegas, he provided veteran leadership and experience to a young Raiders offense.
New England Patriots (2024-Present)
On March 14, 2024, Hooper signed with the New England Patriots, reuniting with the franchise he had faced in Super Bowl LI years earlier. In his first season in New England, he posted 45 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns, serving as a steady presence in the passing game. On March 9, 2025, he re-signed with the Patriots on a one-year, $5 million contract, signaling the organization’s continued confidence in his abilities.
Austin Hooper Career Highlights
Pro Bowl Years
Hooper earned back-to-back Pro Bowl selections following the 2018 and 2019 seasons, both times as a replacement for injured players. The honors underscored his emergence as one of the top receiving tight ends in the NFL, as he posted 71 and 75 receptions in those two seasons, respectively.
College Accolades
At Stanford, Hooper was named Second-team All-Pac-12 in 2014 and First-team All-Pac-12 in 2015. He was also recognized as a Third-team All-American in 2015 and was a finalist for the John Mackey Award, which honors the top tight end in college football.
Austin Hooper Family
Family Background and Heritage
Hooper was raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and comes from a diverse background. He is of African-American, Mexican, Irish, Native American, and Belgian descent. He attended De La Salle High School in Concord, California, before continuing his football career at Stanford University.
Personal Life
Hooper has kept much of his personal life out of the public eye. He maintains an active presence on social media, including an Instagram account under the handle ahooper81.
2025 Season Performance
Hooper re-signed with the New England Patriots on March 9, 2025, on a one-year, $5 million contract, ensuring his return for another season in New England. Coming off a 2024 campaign in which he recorded 45 receptions for 476 yards and three touchdowns, he is expected to maintain a significant role in the Patriots’ passing attack. His experience and route-running ability make him a reliable option for young quarterback play.
The Patriots are counting on Hooper to provide veteran leadership and steady production at the tight end position. With a new coaching staff focused on rebuilding the offense, his blocking and pass-catching versatility are valuable assets. His familiarity with the system from the 2024 season should allow for a smoother transition into the 2025 campaign.
Heading into the new season, Hooper’s primary objectives include staying healthy, mentoring younger players, and continuing to deliver consistent yardage and scoring contributions. His two Pro Bowl seasons in Atlanta demonstrated the high level of performance he is capable of reaching, and the Patriots will look for him to be a stabilizing force in their tight end room throughout 2025.