The former Falcons tight end left Iowa as a defensive lineman and eventually went undrafted in 2019.

He landed in Tennessee and carved out a role with the Titans as a tight end, which is where he met Arthur Smith and followed the former position coach to Atlanta.

Hesse spent the last three seasons with the Falcons, going back and forth from their practice squad, making 28 appearances, including eight starts with the Dirty Birds.

At 6-foot-3, 261 pounds, the massive tight end primarily served as a blocking tight end for Smith’s run-heavy Falcons offense. In 2022, he put up his best production from a receiving standpoint, hauling in nine catches for 89 yards.

The only surprise with this is that Hesse didn’t follow Arthur Smith to Pittsburgh like Cordarrelle Patterson, Van Jefferson, MyCole Pruitt, and Scotty Miller did.

The Falcons free agents signed with the Steelers at different points this offseason, but Hesse always seemed like a shoo-in to follow his former head coach. The Lions are getting a selfless player who will do anything to help Dan Campbell and Detroit win games.