Report: Lions' T.J. Hockenson Undergoes Season-ending Surgery on Thumb Injury

Detroit Lions tight end T.J. Hockenson will reportedly miss the rest of the 2021 season after undergoing thumb surgery on Thursday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Hockenson is "expected to make a complete recovery in time for the offseason program."

Detroit selected the tight end with the No. 8 overall pick of the 2019 NFL draft out of Iowa, and he wasted little time flashing his potential with six catches for 131 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals in his rookie season.

However, he was inconsistent the rest of the way and finished the year with 32 catches for 367 yards and two touchdowns. This is not his first injury, as that rookie season was cut short on Thanksgiving when he suffered an ankle injury against the Chicago Bears.

To Hockenson's credit, he bounced back in 2020 with 67 catches for 723 yards and six touchdowns while playing all 16 games. He followed with 61 receptions for 583 yards and four scores in 12 appearances this season.

Look for the Lions to turn toward Brock Wright at tight end for the remainder of 2021.