A few months ago, the Baltimore Ravens announced that they were signing a 33-year-old DeAndre Hopkins to a one-year, $6-million contract. At the time, it seemed like a nothing burger, but now it seems as if the Ravens may have gotten one of the biggest steals of the off season.
Advertisement
Thanks to a combination of his age, lack of burst, and recent receiving metrics, Hopkins had effectively been written off prior to the start of September. He wasn’t supposed to be anything more than a WR3 who would occasionally make a big grab, but through the first two weeks of the season, he’s managed to score the most touchdowns of any receiver in Baltimore.
The former Houston Texan exploded for 64 yards and a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday afternoon, and he only needed two catches to do it. Naturally, reporters were left wondering if perhaps the off season and online chatter had motivated him ahead of year 13, but according to Hopkins himself, “It doesn’t motivate me at all.”
“What motivates me is my mom being blind, my father dying when I was six months, real things in life. That stuff is just fun and games. I love interacting with fans but I pay attention to more of the people that congratulate me and cheer me on my back than I do the people that sit at home and all they have to do is speak negatively about things… It doesn’t motivate me at all.”
Suffice to say, it’s a lot easier to perform when you’re focusing on the positives rather than the negatives. Hopkins has now scored a touchdown in back to back games for the first time since weeks 13 and 14 of the 2023 regular season.
Furthermore, his 64 receiving yards is his highest single-game total since Week 13 of the 2024 season, and his current average of 24.75 yards per catch, although inflated, is still the best of his storied career. Simply put, Hopkins is playing some of the best ball of his career right now, and it may just be enough to finally help the Ravens reach the AFC Championship.
Prior to Week 1, Lamar Jackson was the odds on favorite to win the regular season MVP award, and the same was true for Baltimore winning the Super Bowl. If Hopkins can continue to be a difference maker, then those odds will continue to shorten as the season goes on.
Hopkins and the rest of his flock will now turn their attention towards the Detroit Lions, whose defense is currently proving to be one of the stingier ones in the league, especially when it comes to the passing game.
