According to multiple reports, former Houston Texans All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins --who is currently looking for his next NFL team-- may be eyeing a transition into the coaching ranks as sooner rather than later. Unfortunately, his potential coaching prowess won't be felt in the city of Houston.
New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel --who Hopkins has extensive history with across tenures with both the Texans and Tennessee Titans-- confirmed to the media that Hopkins is currently with the Patriots in a "potential coaching/personnel role," as he figures out his future and what he wants to do next.
While his pre-existing relationship with Vrabel definitely helps contextualize his decision to initiate a possible coaching arc with the Patriots at the moment, it's still slightly disappointing for Texans fans considering how the former Houstonian wouldn't be pouring into the present pass catchers of his first organization.
DeAndre Hopkins had a legendary start in Houston
While Houston has not expressed any interest in adding anymore coaches onto their offensive staff, it still would at least make sense if there was consideration in hiring a player who many regard as the second-best wide receiver in franchise history (myself included).
Across seven years with the team (2013-2019), Hopkins accumulated:
- 632 receptions (second-most all-time)
- 8,602 receiving yards (second-most all-time)
- 54 receiving touchdowns (second-most all-time)
- 78.2 yards per game (second-most all-time)
- Four-time All-Pro (3x First-Team, 1x Second-Team)
- Four-time Pro Bowler
While Hopkins wasn't necessarily considered a "burner" (4.57 40-time), he still consistently dominated secondaries with a combination of savvy, spacial-awareness, elite hands-catching, downfield playmaking and ultra-quarterback-friendly catch radius.
By the way, Hopkins became a franchise legend while catching passes from the likes of Matt Schaub, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett, T.J. Yates, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler, Tom Savage and eventually Deshaun Watson in just a seven-year span. To be that excellent with that much turnover at quarterback is itself a stamp of some level of all-time great status. That's why I believe it would be a giant win for Houston's current crop of receivers to receive coaching tips from one of the best to ever don the same uniform.
DeAndre Hopkins could elevate Houston's receiving corps. with his experience
Nico Collins is currently penciled in the third-best wide receiver in team history, seeing as though he just became the third ever to record three consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons (Andre Johnson, Hopkins). Along with him, there's second year Iowa State tandem Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, fellow Iowa State alumn Xavier Hutchinson, the returning Tank Dell and so on.
He certainly can provide another level of insight and innovation to the receiving corps. that otherwise wouldn't exist. It's not to say that current position coach Ben McDaniels should be removed from his position. Rather, Hopkins could be a net positive to pair with McDaniels and offensive coordinator Nick Caley as they seek to build up a unit that ranked 14th in total receiving yards per game at 232.7.
The Texans have bigger fish to fry heading into their 25th anniversary season. However, they would absolutely gain massive nostalgia points if they were to ever secure the services of their former dominant receiving weapon.
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