DeAndre Hopkins will continue his quest for his first Lombardi trophy after the Philadelphia Eagles thrashed the Kansas City Chiefs at Super Bowl LIX.
The wide receiver joined the Chiefs in October 2024, having been traded by the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a conditional fifth-rounder in the 2025 NFL Draft. His arrival was in response to a spate of mid-season injuries among the Chiefs wide receivers, as Rashee Rice and Skyy Brown both missed most of the regular season.
During the season, Hopkins boasted solid performance stats with 610 yards and five touchdowns from 56 targets, even grabbing a touchdown in the Super Bowl. Despite his efforts, the 32-year-old’s dream for that much-coveted Lombardi was dashed by the Eagles’ stellar play, resulting in a dominant 40-22 victory.
Before the game, Hopkins honored his father, who tragically passed away in 1992, with a pre-game fashion statement: he wore a long mink coat. In the run-up to the Super Bowl, Hopkins shared the sentimental value of the coat, with plans to wear it either on his wedding day or in his maiden Super Bowl appearance – whichever came first.
Hopkins told ESPN: “Obviously I’m not married. I’m going to wear my daddy’s mink jacket.” Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Hopkins added: “My dad was [a] leader of the family, leader of our community. So it means a lot just being able to have a little bit of him with me.”
(Image: Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Following the game, a visibly disappointed Hopkins didn’t hold back in a post-match press conference, slamming the media for not focusing on the “touchy calls” favoring the Eagles.
He said: “I saw a lot of things in the media about the refs, but what y’all going to say now about the refs and us when there were a lot of touchy calls? Are you all going to report that? Are you all going to talk about the refs now?”
Despite his frustration with the Super Bowl outcome, Hopkins now faces a pivotal choice regarding his NFL future. Here, we have scoped out some potential teams where the wide receiver might land to chase the elusive Lombardi.
Kansas City Chiefs
Hopkins could stick with the Kansas City Chiefs as he aims for a Super Bowl comeback in 2025. His solid performance has already made him a valuable asset to their offense, and a full preseason could further enhance his contributions.
With a cap hit of just $1.8million in 2025, he presents an affordable choice for the Chiefs. His 12 years of NFL experience would complement Coach Andy Reid’s seasoned leadership, and his familiarity with the team’s playbook is a significant advantage.
(Image: Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
However, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking forward to the return of injured receivers Rashee Rice and Skyy Moore from the injured reserve list this offseason. While an overcrowded receiver room isn’t necessarily a bad thing for the Chiefs, they might consider bringing in some fresh talent instead of relying on those who participated in Super Bowl LIX.
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans initially signed Hopkins to a two-year, $26m contract as a free agent in 2023 after his release by the Arizona Cardinals in 2022. Given that they covered the remaining part of his salary for his move to the Chiefs in 2024, the Titans might be willing to give the seasoned player another shot in their offensive locker room.
However, the Titans have some advantages going into the 2025 Draft, having secured the number one overall pick. They are most in need of bolstering their offense, with vacancies at quarterback, wide receiver, and offensive tackle all needing attention for 2025.
They also have one pick in the second round, two in the fourth round, and one each in the sixth and seventh rounds. With these options and the 10th highest cap space at $49m, the AFC South team might decide to cut ties with the $26m man, Hopkins.
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers had a challenging stint in the 2024 season, scraping together just 6 wins against 11 losses after their Super Bowl appearance the previous year. Catastrophic injuries struck down key players, including Brandon Aiyuk, Nick Bosa, and Trent Williams.
These losses dealt a heavy blow to Kyle Shanahan’s team as they struggled to win, ultimately missing out on playoff action for the first time in half a decade.
(Image: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Star wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr has thrown a spanner in the works, too, by asking for a transfer in the 2025 offseason, which means there’s going to be a gap in the squad’s skillset lineup. In 2023, free agent DeAndre Hopkins revealed to GQ Sports that he reached out to several teams, including the 49ers, who didn’t reply.
The athlete said: “There were some teams that I had on my list that I gave them calls, and they didn’t give a callback. Detroit Lions, they didn’t want me. Dallas Cowboys didn’t want me. Giants didn’t want me. S—. Who else ain’t want me? San Fran ain’t want me.”
The world is now watching to see if Hopkins will ring up San Francisco again in 2025 and head to the West Coast to continue his NFL career into yet another season.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus has connected Hopkins with the Pittsburgh Steelers, proposing that a collaboration with the Steelers’ own George Pickens could form a “solid” duo.
Moving into his 13th NFL season this year, Hopkins has continued to prove with the Chiefs that he remains a stellar choice for that crucial wide receiving position.
According to Sportrac, with the potential departure of receiver Mike Williams and rookie Calvin Austin ahead of the forthcoming season, there’s room for Hopkins in the locker room. The Steelers also have a substantial $31.4m in cap space before any roster changes, providing ample funds to invest in a proven league star like Hopkins.
Los Angeles Chargers
(Image: Tim Warner/Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Chargers are another team that Hopkins could consider joining in 2025. The Chargers have been linked with Cincinnati Bengals receiver and now free agent Tee Higgins this offseason, but they might opt for a more affordable choice in Hopkins if Higgins’ salary demands are high.
With a projected cap space exceeding $60m, Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers certainly have the capacity to accommodate Hopkins and a few other stars to help franchise quarterback Justin Herbert.
Rookie Ladd McConkey also impressed for the Chargers in 2024, racking up 1,149 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The addition of a seasoned player like Hopkins could further boost his career as he enters his second season.
- Source: NEWHD MEDIA
