Why DeAndre Hopkins wants to 'crush' the Cowboys (and others) this season

DeAndre Hopkins kept receipts.

In a GQ Hype interview with Clay Skipper, Hopkins revealed that before he signed a two-year, $26 million contract with the Titans in July, he was rebuffed by four potential 2023 NFC playoff contenders. 

"There were some teams that I had on my list that I gave them calls and they didn't give a call back... I can't wait to play 'em and, honestly, try my best to crush they ass," Hopkins said.

When asked which teams he reached out to, Hopkins named four. "Detroit Lions, they didn't want me. Dallas Cowboys didn't want me. Giants didn't want me. Sh-t. Who else ain't want em? San Fran ain't want me."

Luckily for those teams, none play the Titans in 2023, so his revenge will have to wait. If Hopkins plays until he's 37, like he suggested he could earlier this offseason, he'll eventually get his chance.

As for this season, he can make them wish they signed him by maintaining his All-Pro form.

Hopkins was on pace for a big season with the Cardinals last year upon returning from a six-game suspension for violating the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy. He averaged 79.7 yards per game in nine starts, putting him on pace for 1,355 yards. In his four seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020), Hopkins was named either First- or Second-Team All-Pro each time.

He's bullish on Tennessee's potential to surprise people and make noise in the AFC this season. "There's not many teams that can say that they just ran over the Titans... A lot of people have written them off, like they've written me off," he told Skipper. But the Titans have a difficult task ahead of them.

They ended last season on a seven-game losing streak and likely only have one path to the postseason in a stacked AFC - winning their division. After the Jaguars supplanted them atop the division last year, the Titans are a long shot to qualify for the postseason.

The teams that passed on him are much more likely to make the playoffs. The Cowboys, Giants and 49ers reached the postseason last year while the Lions (+145) are the favorite to win the NFC North in 2023. 

Hopkins would have helped any of them. Among those teams, though, Detroit and New York might regret not pursuing Hopkins the most.

Dallas has a solid top-three at wide receiver including CeeDee Lamb, Brandin Cooks and Michael Gallup. San Francisco has Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey as excellent receiving options. Imagining Hopkins in each location is fun, but he'd offer more value elsewhere.

The Lions are without 2022 first-round pick Jameson Williams for the first six games after he was suspended for betting. Detroit will rely heavily on Amon-Ra St. Brown and while he's extremely reliable, Hopkins would have taken a lot of the attention off of him. 

He would have been even more valuable in New York, which lacks a No. 1 wide receiver. Tight end Darren Waller might be the Giants' best pass-catching option. The wide receiver unit was a weak spot last season and the team needs big things from Sterling Shepard, who's returning from an ACL tear last September, and Parris Campbell, who signed with the team in free agency after averaging 9.9 yards a reception in 2022 with the Colts.