No one in the NFL world doubts that DeAndre Hopkins is one of the best receivers in the NFL, his quality has been demonstrated since his time with the Houston Texans and in recent years with the Arizona Cardinalsthat quality does not go unnoticed and the proof is the brief conversation he had with the head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick.
Hopkins and Belichick faced each other during the Monday Night Football game in which the Patriots beat the Cardinals 27-13 and prior to the game the second winningest head coach of all time approached the receiver and the conversation was captured by HBO’s Hark Knocks.
Aaron Rodgers hails Bill Belichick, remains coy about chat with Patriots’ HC
Bill Belichick’s words to DeAndre Hopkins
“I’m glad we only have to play you every four years, man,” Belichick told Hopkins. “What a career you’re having. You missed half the season, still gonna lead the league in receiving.”
With New England in the AFC and Arizona in the NFC, as Belichick aptly put it, the Pats don’t have to face Hopkins in three out of four seasons, so that compliment speaks to the tremendous respect the six-time Super Bowl-winning HC has for the receiver.
However, it has been a tough year for Hopkins, as he missed the first six games of the current regular season due to a suspension imposed by the NFL for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drugs policy.
How has DeAndre Hopkins’ season been?
In 2022, Hopkins has racked up 49 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns in only six games played, which while very good numbers is a bit of an exaggeration of Belichick’s comment about him “still gonna lead the league in receiving.”
But the worst thing for Hopkins is not even that, the Cardinals are practically eliminated from the playoffs with a 4-9 record and have lost quarterback Kyler Murray for the rest of the season.
