Speaking candidly about being moved to the Vikings during the 2022 season, former tight end T.J. Hockenson of the Detroit Lions was recently featured on the “Bussin With The Boys” podcast.

General manager Brad Holmes dealt the previous first-round pick, a 2023 fourth-round pick, and a conditional 2024 draft selection to the Vikings in exchange for a 2023 second-round pick and a 2024 third-round pick after the Lions opened the 2022 season with a 1-6 record.

Detroit chose Hockenson with the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. The gifted tight end said, when questioned, that he wasn’t overly shocked to be sold because a lot of things had been written about his Motown career maybe coming to an end.

“There was a lot of articles coming out because we were, I think 1-6 at the time,” Hockenson explained.”At the time, I was in my fourth year. I therefore realized that they would either want to keep me around or get rid of me in order to obtain some draft capital.”

After the deal, Detroit continued to win, finishing strong in 2022 and taking home the NFC North title for the first time in 2023.

The 27-year-old has undoubtedly experienced some animosity due to the Lions’ appearance in the NFC Championship game and their success over the past 12 months, but he nonetheless expressed happiness for his former teammates who have remained in Detroit.

Yes. Not incredibly resentful, but you know, you look at it and wonder, ‘Well, what’s going on?’ You’re aware? And when you speak with the folks I used to play with, they simply say, “It clicked.”

Regarding resentment, though, I was genuinely pleased for the boys I used to play with,” Hopkinson remarked. “I was there for a very long time, obviously. Going out to play and not truly succeeding is not enjoyable. I felt thrilled for the men who I played with when they started to succeed.

However, there is a small amount of resentment since you want your team to win the division. Our goal is to be the best team.