One of the more notable offensive weapons that the New England Patriots parted ways with in the 2026 offseason was veteran tight end Austin Hooper. The pass catcher left the defending AFC champs to return to the Atlanta Falcons, where his career first began back in 2016. While it perhaps was a nostalgic signing for Hooper, the veteran should already be regretting the decision to leave Drake Maye and one of the AFC's top contenders for what is a clear dumpster fire in Atlanta.
Hooper is coming off a solid season, offering 263 receiving yards and a pair of touchdowns in a reserve role. The veteran was a reliable secondary option and provided great depth, helping earn his team a chance to compete for a Super Bowl. Now, Hooper is almost certainly dealing with the reality of a decision that put the tight end in a position that is a huge quarterback downgrade and offers very little hope of meaningful contention.
The Falcons parted ways with Kirk Cousins this offseason, signing Tua Tagovailoa to pair with the injured Michael Penix Jr. Hooper can't help but begin to consider how large a downgrade this is from Drake Maye, along with what his role might be in an Atlanta offense that appears to lack a clear identity. Hooper decided to join a team with a worse head coach, quarterback, and defense.
Ex-Pats TE Austin Hooper Likely Already Regretting Leaving New England
The Patriots could've easily brought back Hooper for another season and given the pass catcher a legitimate chance of contending for a Super Bowl. This is a reality that has to be hitting the current Falcon as he looks at a limited roster and realizes the extent of the downgrade made in the 2026 offseason.
New England didn't miss a beat, either, bringing in Julian Hill to take Hooper's place. This, along with Atlanta's quiet offseason, should be more than enough to push Hooper over the edge into realizing what a mistake it was to go from one of the league's most respected franchises to the laughingstock that is the Falcons.
Atlanta's most notable moment as a franchise came with Hooper at the hands of New England, completing the infamous 28-3 Super Bowl comeback in what was the tight end's rookie season. This is the franchise that Hooper is willingly walking back to despite knowing its history of losing and having watched what has to be an extremely disheartening offseason.
The Patriots have already moved on and turned the page, bringing in what appears to be a clear upgrade. For Hooper, however, it appears the regrets and frustrations have just begun, as the veteran realizes the extent of his mistake and how painful it will be to watch as New England thrives while he plays for a struggling franchise in Atlanta.