AFC Notes: DeAndre Hopkins, Texans, Titans

DeAndre Hopkins

Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins is making sure to circle the games against teams that he reached out to that weren’t interested in signing him.

“There were some teams that I had on my list that I gave them calls and they didn’t give a call back,” he said, via Titans Wire. “Detroit Lions, they didn’t want me. Dallas Cowboys didn’t want me. Giants didn’t want me…who else ain’t want me? San Fran ain’t want me. I’m very grateful for where I am, I think I made the best decision,” he added. “But when you’re a player and some people feel like they’re great without you, and then you see what they have on paper, or you see what they do, you mark those games down, as a competitor. I can’t wait to play’ em and, honestly, try my best to crush they ass.”

Hopkins said that the team has noticed he’s been everything as advertised since arriving in Tennessee.

“Man, [expletive], you ask the people around this building, since I been here, what they got?” Hopkins said. “That’s a wolf. Not a dog. Wolves eat dogs. You feel me? They got a wolf.”

Hopkins added that he can see why HC Mike Vrabel is one of the best coaches in the league.

“I got here, he called me out in a team meeting about a play that I f—– up on,” Hopkins explained. “I was like, damn, it’s only been one day…this is a different standard of football…this is how you win.”

Texans

Texans OC Bobby Slowik pointed out that rookie OL Jarrett Patterson is extremely reliable and mature beyond his years.

“The biggest thing that stands out with him is consistency and reliability,” Slowik said, via Texans Wire. “You know what you’re going to get — he’s the same every day. He’s very, very sharp. Mentally, he’s on his calls, on his technique. He gets better every day. He’s just extremely reliable for a young offensive lineman — that stood out from day one, really when he came in in training camp.”

Titans

• Titans RB Derrick Henry, who is entering the final year of his contract, said he isn’t focusing on 2023 potentially being his final year in Tennessee and is taking things “one day at a time,” via Terry McCormick.