​DeAndre Hopkins Is With The Patriots, But Not As A Player originally appeared on NESN.
Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.DeAndre Hopkins is an NFL free agent.But based on his role on the field at training camp with the New England Patriots, it seems like he might be closer to retirement than he is to playing during the 2026 season.Hopkins is on the field with the Patriots, but not in uniform.Instead, one video shows him working with wide receiver Kayshon Boutte as a coach trying to create a contested catch scenario for Boutte:DeAndre Hopkins working with the #Patriots WRs during a contested catch drill pic.twitter.com/NKConrF8JS— Taylor Kyles (@tkyles39) July 25, 2026MORE: Is Tom Brady having a mid-life crisis?There’ve been no major career announcements by Hopkins, but this clearly isn’t nothing.Now 34 years old, Hopkins is coming off a season in which he played all 17 games for the Baltimore Ravens. He had 22 catches for 330 yards and two touchdowns.Hopkins previously played for the Chiefs, Titans, Cardinals and Texans.He has played 13 seasons in all, catching 1,006 passes for 13,295 yards and 85 touchdowns.Hopkins’ career receiving yardage is the most among active players — that is, if he remains active.He’s far from the player he once was, but it seems he could still create an opportunity for himself somewhere in the NFL if he wanted to seek it out.For now, though, Hopkins is apparently content to activate some of his coaching instincts rather than relying on his playing instincts. Maybe that will continue, and if so, it’ll be a fascinating transition to watch for one of this era’s best wide receivers.More PatriotsLatest Patriots newsTom Brady’s Patriots legacy: How legendary QB set new standardComplete history of Patriots championships