Houston Texans fans remember DeAndre Hopkins at his peak, hauling in passes and making plays that seemed impossible for most others, even at the NFL level. Now a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Hopkins is still dazzling in the twilight of his career.
Now 33, Hopkins is supposed to be winding down, but has instead found the “fountain of youth” in Baltimore with the Ravens.
The opinions of those who matter most, his coaches and teammates, tell the tale.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson Praises Ex-Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins has four receptions in two games, a modest mark for the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All-Pro, who logged more than 95 catches in a single season four times with the Texans.
However, he not only has a 100% catch rate, but he has also turned those opportunities into 99 yards and 2 touchdowns. He had a 2-64-1 line in a Week 2 win over the Cleveland Browns.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is happy to have Hopkins on the Ravens.
“A guy who can, you know, be covered and still make plays? I feel like we have that, but he’s different,” Jackson told reporters on September 14. “He’s a vet, and he done seen it all at the quarterback position. Guy has huge hands to catch the ball. One hand, two fingers, it don’t really matter, man. He made things happen. So, shout out to D-Hop, man.”
Ravens HC: ‘Ask the Lord’ About DeAndre Hopkins
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has also been impressed by what he has seen from Hopkins, who, with $148.9 million in career earnings, per Over The Cap, signed a one-year, $5 million contract with Baltimore in free agency this past offseason.
“It’s funny because I was watching the tape this morning, very early, and I just thought that that young corner was covering DeAndre as well as he could. I mean, he couldn’t cover him any better. And yet, Lamar puts the ball in a great spot and DeAndre makes a great catch,” Harbaugh told reporters on September 15.
“Why is he as good as he is? That’s a question for the Lord. Because he gave him that talent, and he’s just great at making plays.”
For Hopkins, it is just going about his business as he always has.
DeAndre Hopkins Quieting Doubters With Ravens
Hopkins took serious offense to comments from an Arizona Cardinals reporter this summer that suggested the wideout was no longer a useful player. Hopkins said the reporter took a personal tone when discussing him since the receiver’s tenure in the desert ended.
The two have a history of friction that goes back at least to 2023.
However, Hopkins asserted that he does not find motivation from such interactions or any outside forces. His motivation is his own experiences.
“It doesn’t motivate me at all. What motivates me is my mom being blind, my father dying when I was 6 months – real things in life,” Hopkins said after the win on Sunday. “That stuff is just fun and games. I love interacting with fans. But I think I pay attention to more of the people congratulating me and cheering me on my back than I do the people that sit at home, and all they have to do is speak negative about things. So, I just – I like shooting the breeze, but it doesn’t motivate me at all.”