Since Joe Burrow took the NFL field in 2020, he has been easily one of the best quarterbacks in the league. He plays on a level that has so many players wanting to join him. Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is the latest to join this long list. And he’s aiming big in his plans.

“I’d go with Joe Burrow,” Hopkins told Sports Illustrated when asked about which QB he’d want to play with among those that he never got a chance with. “I think Joe is one of the best. I love his game, his toughness. I mean, he took his team to a Super Bowl early in his career, and I feel like he can get back there with a little bit of help.”

Burrow is the celebrity he is in the NFL because he took the Bengals to the Super Bowl in only his third season in the league. Unlike other rookies who stumble in the initial phase of their careers, the QB defied those norms by outperforming his contemporaries regularly since his debut. Even though he has played only six seasons so far, Burrow has won the Comeback Player of the Year award twice. But it’s a mystery how his opponents have been getting the best of him of late. Burrow is one of the most deserving players to be in the postseason regularly. The Bengals have missed the playoffs three years on the trot.

The Bengals QB already has a strong WR duo in JaMarr Chase and Tee Higgins. But DeAndre Hopkins is no slouch himself. He has a ledger that includes three First-Team All-Pro selections and two Second-Team All-Pro honors. Hopkins has caught for 13,295 yards and 85 receiving touchdowns. Adding him to the WR rotation isn’t exactly an outlandish thought. Hopkins has also played in the Super Bowl with the Chiefs, scoring a touchdown and landing a two-point conversion in the 2024 edition of the game.

According to Sports Illustrated, the very presence of Joe Burrow in Cincinnati is reason enough for them to win the Super Bowl. There is no doubt of that potential there. But what has plagued the Bengals in getting there is a bad defense. But the Bengals have retooled themselves here, adding players like Dexter Lawrence this offseason. The Bengals should be in contention to win the Super Bowl this year, based on the improvements they’ve made on both sides of the ball. They won’t have DeAndre Hopkins on the roster, but it’s a good one nonetheless.

Not Just Burrow: Hopkins Has His Eye on Josh Allen Too

Burrow isn’t the only stud quarterback that Hopkins has mentioned wanting to team up with this offseason. In January, Hopkins expressed a similar sentiment when asked about the possibility of joining forces with Allen. “Me and Josh Allen could do some damage, for sure,” Hopkins said on the Up & Adams show, calling the Buffalo Bills QB a “player’s player.”

“I think I’m quarterback-proof, if I’m just being honest. I’m not saying that just to say that, but Will Levis and I? We connected for almost 1,000 yards and seven touchdowns. Give me a Josh Allen and who knows?”

Unlike Burrow, Allen has been a regular in the postseason. He has reached here consistently for the past six seasons and also won the MVP title in 2024. However, like Burrow, Josh Allen has never been to the Super Bowl.

The now-Baltimore Ravens WR still thinks he’s got some juice in him. He’s not wrong, considering he’s had seven seasons with more than 1,000 receiving yards in the bag, his latest coming in 2023. The WR was 31 that year. He’ll turn 34 this year, but can still help a quarterback out generously. Plus, he’s also in free agency.

While Hopkins has already built what looks like a potential Hall of Fame résumé, the missing piece remains a Super Bowl ring. And in his view, teaming up with Joe Burrow (or even Allen) could help him put a full circle to an outstanding career.