After picking up his fifth-year option in April of 2022, contract talks between the Lions and T.J. Hockenson never seemed to get anywhere. So he became a tradeable asset when the team started that season season 1-6, and he was sent to the Minnesota Vikings at the deadline.

Upon meeting the media in Minnesota after the deal, Hockenson made a harsh (and not necessarily intended) comment about his former team.

“That’s really what we’re here to do is go somewhere and win some games,” Hockenson said. “That’s kind of the first time I’ve been able to say that.”

The Lions went 12-42-2 during Hockenson’s three-plus seasons on the team. They of course won 12 games last season alone, on their way to a division title. Meanwhile, the Vikings won as many games last season (seven) as they did the rest of the 2022 season after acquiring Hockenson.

T.J. Hockenson offers genuine feelings about trade, Lions’ success in 2023

Hockenson appeared on the “Bussin With The Boys” podcast this week. He was asked directly about being traded by the Lions.

“Take us to the moment where you got traded. How was that for you, were you bitter at first?”, Hockenson was asked. His response was genuine.

“No, I wouldn’t say so, like I kinda, there was a lot of articles (on potential trades) coming out because we were, I think 1-6 at the time,” Hockensen said. I was in my fourth year at the time, and so, like, I like understood either they’re going to want to keep me here or they’re going to want to get rid of me and get some draft capital.”

There certainly were a lot of articles about potential trades involving Hockenson as the 2022 deadline approached. He clearly noticed.

Hockenson hinted the Lions had suggested he wouldn’t be traded, based on a few conversations he had. But he also was clearly still on guard for a call that he would be on the move on deadline day, and it came.

Hockenson was then asked if he was….yes, bitter, about the success the Lions have had since he was dealt.

“Yeah. Not crazy [bitter], but I mean, you see it, and you’re like, ‘Well, what’s going on?’ You know? And you talk to people that I played with [in Detroit], and they’re just like, ‘It just started clicking.’…
“But [in terms of] bitterness, I really was happy for the boys that I used to play with. Obviously, I was in it for a long time. It’s not fun to go out and play and not really have any success. And then, for them to have some success, I was happy for the guys that I played with.”
“But to, obviously, be in the same division, there’s a little bit of [bitterness] because you [want your team to] be the team. We want to be the [best] team.”

Hockenson pointed to the learning curve everyone had when Ben Johnson was elevated to offensive coordinator for the 2022 season. It’s a coincidence the Lions went 8-2 over the rest of that season after trading him.

When it was all said and done. Hockenson got the contract the Lions were hesitant to give him and Detroit replaced him with Sam LaPorta in the 2023 draft. So it worked out well for both sides, even if the Lions can be called the overall winner of the trade.

Here’s the entire clip where Hockenson (10:44 in run time) talks about being traded.