The NFL season is almost here, and after a strong first season under Mike Vrabel, the New England Patriots are looking to make it back to the Super Bowl. Vrabel spoke with reporters today ahead of the Patriots' first practice on Saturday, July 25, and mentioned that former All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was visiting today, considering a future in coaching.
Hopkins is most know for his time with the Houston Texans, where he cemented himself as one of the top receivers in the NFL, finishing with multiple seasons over 1000 yards and three first-team All-Pro awards. After seven seasons in Houston, Hopkins was traded to the Arizona Cardinals, where he'd play four seasons. Following his time in Arizona, Hopkins played for the Tennessee Titans under current head coach Mike Vrabel in 2023.
With his career winding down, Hopkins transitioning into a coaching career wouldn't be the most shocking thing. In fact, I think he'd be a good addition to the staff.
DeAndre Hopkins would be a good addition to New England's staff
Adding Hopkins to the staff as an assistant would be a good hire because he'd be another great mentor for the young receivers in the locker room. Along with A. J. Brown, Mack Hollins, and Romeo Doubs, the young receivers would have another great veteran option to learn from. New England's receiver room is full of young receivers like Kayshon Boutte, Kyle Williams, and DeMario Douglas.
Giving the younger receivers another guy with over a decade of experience playing in the NFL(let alone one of the best receivers of the 2010s) could help them develop better. His work doesn't have to just be with the receivers either.
Having Hopkins on the staff could help the overall offense of the Patriots improve upon an already good offense last season. Just because Hopkins played receiver, it doesn't mean he has to exclusively help the receivers out. If he wanted to, he could even be an assistant on the defensive side.
While he called plays for most of last season, Zak Kuhr is now the Patriots' official defensive coordinator. Kuhr impressed in the postseason but needs to continue to call a strong defense. With Hopkins around, when game-planning for other teams, being able to discuss things with a former All-Pro receiver could help find ways to make opposing receivers' days even more challenging.
DeAndre Hopkins' connection with Mike Vrabel could be win for Patriots
Even though Vrabel was Hopkins' head coach for one season, he was a part of some of the Texans' staff. Should Hopkins join the coaching staff, it would be another example of Vrabel's former connections paying off for the Patriots. We saw how much Brown wanted to play for Vrabel, and a reason safety Kevin Byard signed with New England was because of his time under Vrabel with the Titans.
This would continue to show that Vrabel has connections around the league and that players want to either play for him or coach alongside him. Who knows, Vrabel's connections could be a key reason as to why the Patriots win a Super Bowl.
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