DeAndre Hopkins is apparently exploring a future that could take him off the field and into the coaching ranks, but Texans fans may not love where that path is leading.
Multiple reports say the former Houston All-Pro wideout, who is still searching for his next NFL team, is considering a move into coaching sooner rather than later. For now, that process is unfolding in New England, where Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said Hopkins is with the team in a “potential coaching/personnel role” while he sorts out what comes next.
Vrabel’s connection to Hopkins makes the situation easier to understand. The two have plenty of history from their time together with the Texans and Titans, and that relationship appears to be part of why Hopkins is around the Patriots right now. Still, it’s the kind of development that stings a little for Houston, because it means one of the franchise’s most iconic receivers won’t be helping shape the current Texans pass-catching group.
That’s a notable what-if, because Hopkins’ Houston résumé is the kind that still carries real weight. Over seven seasons with the Texans from 2013 to 2019, he built a legendary start to his career and became, in the writer’s view, the second-best wide receiver in franchise history. He wasn’t a pure speed threat - his 4.57 40-time made that clear - but he made up for it with savvy, spatial awareness, elite hands-catching, downfield playmaking and a catch radius that quarterbacks could lean on.
And lean on him they did. Hopkins put up those numbers while catching passes from Matt Schaub, Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Ryan Mallett, T.J.
Yates, Brandon Weeden, Brock Osweiler, Tom Savage and eventually Deshaun Watson. That kind of production across that much quarterback turnover is part of what made him such a franchise force.
From a Texans standpoint, there’s at least a case to be made for bringing that kind of knowledge back into the building. Houston has not shown interest in adding coaches to its offensive staff, but Hopkins’ experience could still be valuable for a receiver room that includes Nico Collins, who just became the third player in team history to post three straight 1,000-yard seasons, joining Andre Johnson and Hopkins. The group also features second-year Iowa State tandem Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, fellow Iowa State alum Xavier Hutchinson, and the returning Tank Dell.
Hopkins could offer a layer of insight and creativity that isn’t already there. That wouldn’t necessarily mean pushing out current receivers coach Ben McDaniels. Instead, the idea is that Hopkins could complement McDaniels and offensive coordinator Nick Caley as they work with a passing game that ranked 14th in total receiving yards per game at 232.7.
The Texans have bigger priorities as they head into their 25th anniversary season. Even so, there’s no question they would score plenty of nostalgia points if they ever managed to bring their former star receiver back in any capacity.
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