Under the awards subhead of DeAndre Hopkins‘ résumé, you’ll find plenty.
Five-time Pro Bowler. Three-time All-Pro.
But a quick Google search of Hopkins’ name also delivers a sobering dose of reality in 2026. The first generated entry: What happened to DeAndre Hopkins?
Such is the harsh portion of an NFL career’s twilight, one that often comes without warning and is rarely easy to process. Some ride off into the sunset on their own terms, while silence tells others they’re no longer wanted.
Hopkins is caught somewhere in between. He spent the 2025 season playing for the Baltimore Ravens, a partnership that promised great results but ended up fizzling in part because of how little the Ravens used him.
That shouldn’t diminish what he can offer a team in 2026, at least not in Hopkins’ mind.
“I still got a lot ball left,” Hopkins said during an appearance on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “But it’s not a situation I’m sitting here trying to force or go out and be the regular-season superstar because that’s for the young guys, man. That’s for the people that they want to develop and give those contracts for the future.
“I know in my position, I’m a utility guy. I’m a special situation kind of guy. I can go out there and beat anybody one on one at any time, but as of lately, I’ve been a third-down guy. I wasn’t used in the red zone last year. But (on) third down, they’re gonna put D-Hop in, they’re gonna come to me. I don’t think that’ll change anytime soon.”
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