Hopkins draws major praise, Hall of Fame comparison from Belichick
By: Staff Report December 9, 2022

DeAndre Hopkins drew major praise — and a Hall of Fame comparison — from Bill Belichick this week.

Belichick’s New England Patriots are playing Hopkins’ Arizona Cardinals on Monday, and the longtime Patriots head coach had this to say about the former Clemson star and five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver:

“He’s got tremendous ball skills,” Belichick said, via MassLive.com. “He catches everything. Has great hands. He’s long so he’s never covered, even if he’s covered there’s a place where the ball can be that he can get it and still make the catch. Great coordination on the sidelines. And he doesn’t really look it, but he’s a strong kid. You see him break tackles. He’s a strong kid in terms of creating separation on routes, yards after contact, tough yards like around the goal line or that extra yard for a first down type of thing.”

Belichick, a future first-ballot Hall of Famer with six Super Bowl titles as a head coach under his belt, even mentioned the 30-year-old Hopkins’ ball skills as being on par with guys such as Hall of Fame wideout Cris Carter.

“He’s a smart football player. Very savvy,” Belichick said. “I’d say his ball skills are at the very elite level of guys that I’ve seen in this league. He’s up there with whoever the top guys are. The Cris Carters of the world. Guys like that. I think he’s every bit as good as anybody I’ve ever coached against.”

Hopkins has been highly productive in six games this season, tallying 49 receptions for 574 yards and three touchdowns.

Since coming into the NFL as a first-round pick of the Houston Texans back in 2013, the three-time first-team All-Pro has amassed 838 catches for 11,155 yards and 71 scores.

Hopkins and the Cardinals will take on Belichick and the Patriots on ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” next week. Kickoff at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., is set for 8:15 p.m.

–Photo for this article courtesy of USA Today Sports Images 

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