Former Clemson star and longtime NFL wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is taking the field with the New England Patriots, but in a different role.
Hopkins is spending the opening days of training camp with the Patriots to explore a potential post-playing career in coaching.
“DeAndre Hopkins is here with us, just to kind of check things out as far as what he wants to do, as far as coaching. You’ll see him on the field,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel told the media Friday.
Vrabel said Hopkins, an unrestricted free agent who has not yet officially retired, reached out to shadow the staff.
Because Hopkins is an active free agent, Vrabel had to clear the arrangement with the NFL.
“[Hopkins] and I talked, and he asked if he could come hang out for a couple days and be around the coaches and be around the personnel department,” Vrabel said. “I called the league and made sure that that was gonna be OK. Then I invited him back, and that’s where he’s been the last couple days, and he’ll be here for the next couple days.”
Hopkins, 34 years old and a 13-year NFL veteran, is currently wearing coaching gear, assisting New England’s offensive coaches, and meeting with the personnel department.
Vrabel clarified that the five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro is not trying out for a roster spot.
“He has got coaching gear on, and he is helping out the offensive coaches and meeting with our personnel guys,” Vrabel said. “He loves football. People that love football and have played the game for the length of time that he did, wants, I think, to explore the opportunities and what that looks like after his playing career is over.”
Hopkins and Vrabel share a long relationship, as they spent four seasons together with the Houston Texans (2014–2017) when Vrabel was an assistant coach there, and then reunited with the Tennessee Titans in 2023 when Vrabel was the head coach.
In June, Hopkins said he felt he’s still got plenty of football left in him, but added that he was staying patient in search of a new team and wasn’t in a hurry to sign, and that he ideally wanted to play for a contender.
“As I go into my 14th year, of course, I love playing the game, I still love football. But if nothing happens, life is still good, and I’m looking forward to that next chapter,” Hopkins said on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “I still got a lot of ball left, but it’s not a situation that I’m sitting here trying to force, or go out and be the regular season superstar. Because that’s for the young guys, that’s for the people that they want to develop, and get those contracts to look at the future.”
“Going into Year 14, I would love to play for a competitor if that time came,” Hopkins added. “But I’m not in no rush to go out regular season and be a regular season superstar. Because for me, I’m not getting a contract extension.”
Hopkins spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens after signing a one-year deal with the team in March 2025. In 17 games with Baltimore, he hauled in 22 receptions for 330 yards and two touchdowns, averaging exactly 15.0 yards per reception – just shy of his career high of 15.9 yards per catch back in 2014, his second NFL season.
Hopkins has amassed 1,006 receptions for 13,295 yards and 85 touchdowns over 195 games during his career with the Texans, Cardinals, Titans, Chiefs and Ravens since being selected by Houston in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft (No. 27 overall pick).