DeAndre Hopkins is spending training camp with the Patriots, but not in the role anyone spent years watching him fill.
Instead of lining up to run routes, the longtime star receiver is joining New England’s coaching staff in an exploratory role, according to head coach Mike Vrabel, who made the announcement Friday during a pre-camp press conference.
“DeAndre Hopkins is here with us just to kind of check things out as far as what he wants to do as far as coaching. You’ll see him on the field,” Vrabel said.
Vrabel said Hopkins asked to spend a few days around the staff and personnel department, and the Patriots checked with the league before bringing him in.
“He asked if he could hang out for a couple of days and be around the coaches and around the personnel department,” Vrabel said about the 34-year-old. “I called the league to make sure that was going to be okay, and then I invited him back. That’s where he’s been the last couple of days, and he’ll be here for the next couple of days.”
The move reunites Hopkins and Vrabel for the third time in their football lives. Their first connection came in 2014, when Hopkins was in his second season with the Houston Texans and Vrabel had joined the staff there as linebackers coach under Bill O’Brien. They later crossed paths again in Tennessee during the 2023 season, and now they’re back together in New England.
Hopkins has not announced his retirement, but Vrabel made clear that this visit is about coaching, not a comeback.
“He is coaching from here on, and he is helping the offensive coaches and work with the personnel guys. He loves football. People that love football and have played the game for the length of time that he did, once they explore the opportunities and what that looks like once his playing career is over.
The 34-year-old’s playing résumé speaks for itself. From his entry into the league as a first-round pick in 2013 through his 2025 season with the Baltimore Ravens, Hopkins played in 204 regular season and playoff games combined. He finished with 1,046 receptions, 13,770 receiving yards and 87 touchdowns, along with five All-Pro nods and five Pro Bowl selections.
Meanwhile, the Patriots’ wide receiver room is being coached by Todd Downing and heads into camp with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs as the biggest offseason additions. They’ll be joined by returning veterans Mack Hollins, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Kyle Williams, among others.
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