To the 13-year-old and former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver, Kansas City was not only one of the stops in his career. It became an establishment that is linked to a permanent memory, beginning with a simple meal such as barbecue. A stop at Gates Bar-B-Q, particularly the burnt ends, which became his favorite. This experience was instilled in him to the extent that he even included the same dish in the menu of a restaurant in South Carolina, bringing a piece of that experience with him following the 2024 trade. But it wasn’t just about food.

The experience that DeAndre Hopkins received at Arrowhead Stadium was equally fruitful, as he nearly achieved one of his childhood aspirations, which was the ability to play in a Super Bowl. The free agency is now making a comeback, so naturally, the question remains whether Hopkins would embrace a reunion with the head coach Andy Reid and another opportunity to receive passes thrown by the quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

“We played ball in KC. We had fun,” DeAndre Hopkins said in a video posted by Butta on X. “We got Pat Mahomes out there. Ain’t no script. Ain’t no you run a route like this. Shit is get open. Play ball, read Pat. That’s why they win. That’s why Andy Reed is the goat. So, you know, shit, they’re gonna keep winning. Gotta have fun.”

In the video, he was seen praising the head coach for his coaching style. Under Reid, Hopkins made it to the Super Bowl for the first time in his career. In that game, he scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion in the 40–22 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, becoming just the second wide receiver in Super Bowl history to put up those numbers.

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In 2024, he was traded to the Chiefs from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a 2025 fifth-round pick. He finished his season with 41 receptions for 437 yards and four receiving touchdowns in 10 regular-season games. After the season, he joined the Baltimore Ravens.

Hopkins is currently a free agent after spending the 2025 season with the Ravens on a one-year, $5 million deal.

His production dipped during his time in Baltimore. Although he played in 17 games and made three starts, his role appeared limited. He caught only 22 passes for 330 yards and two touchdowns.

He went on to explain that it might have been about the coaching fit, at least in his case. He didn’t blame the offensive coordinator, realizing that all coaches have their own vision of how a player’s skill set might fit into their system. Still, he got his point across.

“So it ain’t nothing personal, but obviously it’s evident that the person calling the plays didn’t feel like my skill set matched their kind of play calls for me to be in on certain things, but you know I ain’t mad at them,” Hopkins added, hinting at his desire to rejoin the Chiefs.

Although DeAndre didn’t place any blame on his previous coaching staff for his performance or their calls, he did speak up about a decision that may have cost his former team a shot at making the playoffs.

DeAndre Hopkins calls out John Harbaugh’s final decision

The Ravens finished the 2025 season at 8–9, marking the end of an era under head coach John Harbaugh. They placed second in the AFC North after a heartbreaking Week 18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the game decided in the final seconds.

The turning point came on a missed 44-yard field goal by Tyler Loop, which allowed Pittsburgh to advance to the playoffs. From DeAndre Hopkins’ perspective, the decision to attempt the kick instead of going for another first down wasn’t ideal.

“Really, it shouldn’t have gotten down to depending on [Tyler Loop] to kick a 40-yarder,” Hopkins said in a video shared by Blitz The Gridiron on Instagram. “As players, we felt like we should’ve just kept handing the ball off to Derrick [Henry] and let him try to score. We, as players, feel like they didn’t trust us to go score.”

While some blame that single moment for Harbaugh’s exit, it was actually a pattern of late-game mistakes and disappointing postseason results that led to the decision. The front office had reportedly already made up its mind before the final whistle. The Ravens have since moved on, hiring Jesse Minter as their new head coach, while Harbaugh takes over the New York Giants.

As for Hopkins, his stance on the Ravens’ coaching decisions is clear. Now, the focus shifts to where he’ll land next after hinting at his desire to join the Chiefs under Reid. For now, veteran WR remains a free agent after concluding a one-year, $5 million deal with the Ravens.