DeAndre Hopkins' Top Landing Spots After Update on NFL Retirement Despite Joining Georgia Tech Staff

Despite being hired as an assistant wide receivers coach on Brent Key's staff at Georgia Tech for the 2026 college football season, DeAndre Hopkins is keeping the door open to an NFL return.

Hopkins clarified in a post on X that he's not retired from the NFL.

There hasn't been a lot of buzz about teams contacting Hopkins since the end of the 2025 season even though he appeared in all 17 games for the Baltimore Ravens.

Hopkins has used his offseason to get some coaching experience working with the New England Patriots staff early in training camp last week.

Now at 34 years old, Hopkins already has a Hall-of-Fame resume even though he is still chasing a Super Bowl title.

Here are the potential options for NFL teams that might come calling Hopkins if they want help at wide receiver.

Los Angeles Rams

AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea

There aren't a lot of things about the Rams roster to pick apart, but one area that is thin is wide receiver. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are an outstanding duo who have incredible chemistry with Matthew Stafford.

However, when you look at the depth behind Nacua and Adams, things get thin very quickly. The No. 3 receiver on the team last season was Xavier Smith, who had 303 yards and no touchdowns.

If Nacua or Adams were to suffer a major injury, the Rams would be in a tough spot. Their combined receiving yards (2,504) and receiving touchdowns (24) were more than half of the entire team in both categories (4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns).

Hopkins' strong hands and ability at the catch point would allow him to fill a similar role as Adams, who was essentially used as the goal-line back last season with 10 of his 14 touchdown catches coming from inside the 10-yard line.

Washington Commanders

AP Photo/Nick Wass

If there's one thing everyone keeps waiting on, it's the Washington Commanders to sign another wide receiver.

It seemed for a long time it would Brandon Aiyuk, but he has yet to be released by the San Francisco 49ers and may have burned some bridges in Washington by going at Jayden Daniels on social media earlier this summer.

Stefon Diggs is the biggest name receiver still on the market and has been connected to the Commanders, though nothing has happened in that regard yet.

Hopkins would likely cost less than Diggs, though he's not as consistently reliable at this point in his career. He did show the ability to make plays down the field in Baltimore with 15.0 yards per reception, his highest single-season mark since 2014.

There's an argument even if Diggs signs with the Commanders that they could use another pass catcher behind Terry McLaurin unless this is the year Luke McCaffrey has his breakout.

Treylon Burks, Van Jefferson and Dyami Brown are the other notable receivers in Washington right now. Hopkins could reasonably argue he is better than anyone in that group.

Kansas City Chiefs

AP Photo/Ed Zurga

Stop me if you've heard this before: The Kansas City Chiefs are very thin at wide receiver going into the regular season and could probably use at least one more player.

Kansas City's current depth chart is led by Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton.

Worthy, who does not yet have a 100-yard receiving game in two seasons, is already banged up after leaving Saturday's practice due to a shoulder injury. Thornton had a total of 19 receptions in 14 games with the Chiefs last season.

Hopkins would come in already being familiar with the offense after playing 10 games in Kansas City during the 2024 season following a trade with the Tennessee Titans.

He actually finished third on the Chiefs in receptions (41), receiving yards (431) and receiving touchdowns (four) in 2024.

It wouldn't be an exciting move that returns the Chiefs offense back to the peak days from 2018 to '21, but their depth right now is in such a state that Hopkins' steady hand would at least provide a boost.