Titans' DeAndre Hopkins Calls Out Cowboys, Giants, 49ers, Lions for Not Wanting Him

DeAndre Hopkins signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Tennessee Titans this offseason, but not before a number of NFL teams apparently turned down the opportunity to sign him.

"There were some teams that I had on my list that I gave them calls and they didn't give a call back," he told Clay Skipper of GQ.

So which teams?

"Detroit Lions, they didn't want me," Hopkins said. "Dallas Cowboys didn't want me. [New York] Giants didn't want me. S--t. Who else ain't want me? [The San Francisco 49ers] ain't want me."

The Titans and their fans may see those quotes and wonder just how far down the organization was on Hopkins' wishlist this offseason. But the veteran wideout said he believes he landed in the right situation.

"I'm very grateful for where I am, I think I made the best decision," he told Skipper. "But when you're a player and some people feel like they're great without you, and then you see what they have on paper, or you see what they do, you mark those games down, as a competitor. I can't wait to play' em and, honestly, try my best to crush they ass."

It's fair to question if some of those teams made sense as Hopkins suitors, however.

The Lions have the young receiving pair of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams (once he returns from his six-game suspension) and drafted potential playmakers in the passing game in running back Jahmyr Gibbs and tight end Sam LaPorta.

The Cowboys already had CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup and traded for Brandin Cooks. They were covered.

The 49ers are loaded with weapons in the passing game, from wideouts Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk to running back Christian McCaffrey and tight end George Kittle. Plus they needed to stay nimble enough from a cap perspective to sign superstar edge-rusher Nick Bosa to a record-setting five-year, $170 million extension.

But the Giants... well, the Giants could have used some help. The current receiving corps of Isaiah Hodgins, Darius Slayton, Parris Campbell, Sterling Shepard and Jalin Hyatt isn't exactly sending tremors of fear though defensive coordinators around the NFL.

Yes, Saquon Barkley is a weapon in the passing game, and their offseason addition of tight end Darren Waller was big. But of the teams Hopkins listed, the Giants would have made the most sense by far.

Regardless, it remains to be seen how productive the 31-year-old will be after missing seven games to injury in 2021 and two games to injury last season (along with six absences due to a suspension).

In his last 19 games across those two seasons, Hopkins has pulled down 106 receptions for 1,289 yards and 11 touchdowns. The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro remains productive, and he's expected to be a huge upgrade for a Tennessee receiving corps that struggled mightily after the team traded A.J. Brown to the Philadelphia Eagles last year.

Veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill will be happy all those teams passed on Hopkins. And the veteran wideout is expecting big things for the team.

"I feel like the Titans have a chance to win the Super Bowl, and they've shown that, over the past couple years," Hopkins said. "There's not many teams that can say that they just ran over the Titans."