DeAndre Hopkins may not be the game-breaking receiver he once was, but don’t count him out just yet-especially if a reunion with an elite quarterback is on the table. The five-time All-Pro wideout recently made it clear he’s open to teaming up with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in 2026, and he didn’t mince words about what that could look like.
“Me and Josh Allen could do some damage, for sure,” Hopkins said during an appearance on Up & Adams. “I’m a football guy now, and Buffalo is a football team, and Josh Allen is a football player. He’s a player’s player as we say.”
That’s vintage D-Hop-confident, direct, and still very much wired to compete. At 33 years old, Hopkins knows he’s not the same player who once terrorized secondaries with the Texans and Cardinals, but he also believes his game hasn’t aged out of relevance. In fact, he’s not shy about calling himself “quarterback-proof,” and he’s got receipts to back it up.
“I think I’m quarterback-proof, if I’m just being honest,” he said. “I’m not saying that just to say that, but Will Levis and I?
We connected for almost 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Give me a Josh Allen and who knows?”
That’s not just bravado-it’s a fair point. Hopkins’ ability to produce with a rookie quarterback like Levis speaks to the polish and football IQ that have defined his career.
He’s never been the fastest guy on the field, but he’s always been one of the smartest, most technically sound receivers in the league. His hands are still elite, his route-running is still crisp, and he understands spacing and leverage better than most.
Since entering the league in 2013, Hopkins has put together a résumé that screams Canton: 1,006 receptions, 13,295 yards, and 85 touchdowns. He’s been named an All-Pro five times and has five Pro Bowls to his name. That’s rare air-only a handful of receivers in NFL history have matched that level of sustained excellence.
But let’s be real: the version of Hopkins we’ve seen in recent seasons isn’t the one who once carried Houston’s passing game on his back. In 2025, he suited up for Baltimore and posted just 22 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns.
The year before, he split time between Tennessee and Kansas City, managing to eclipse 500 receiving yards. His last 1,000-yard season came back in 2023.
So what does that mean for a potential fit in Buffalo? Hopkins wouldn’t be the WR1 answer the Bills are still searching for, but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t be a valuable piece. With Buffalo likely to add a young receiver in the upcoming draft, a veteran like Hopkins could serve as a stabilizing presence-someone who can win on third downs, mentor younger players, and still make a few highlight-reel grabs when called upon.
This wouldn’t be about chasing numbers or trying to relive his prime. It would be about fit, leadership, and squeezing the last bit of juice out of a Hall-of-Fame-caliber career.
And if that last chapter happens to be written alongside Josh Allen in Buffalo? Hopkins sounds more than ready for it.