DeAndre Hopkins explains why he wants to play with Joe Burrow

Not ready to retire just yet, former All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is on the hunt for a new team. Officially a free agent, Hopkins still believes he can help a team get over the hump. 

in fact, Hopkins, 33, has one team in particular in mind, one that would keep him in the same division he experienced in 2025. For Hopkins, he's targeting the Cincinnati Bengals as an option because of Joe Burrow. 

When asked if there's any quarterback he hasn't played with yet who he would still love to share a team with, Hopkins, who has caught passes from Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson in consecutive seasons, wasted no time in mentioning Burrow's name. 

"I gotta go with Joe Burrow," Hopkins said during an interview with Sports Illustrated. 

And when pressed for more, Hopkins elaborated further. 

"I think Burrow is one of the best," Hopkins said. "I love his game, his toughness. I mean, he took his team to a Super Bowl early in his career and I feel like he can back there with a little bit of help."

Despite his interest, DeAndre Hopkins isn't exactly what Joe Burrow needs the most 

While Hopkins is right about Burrow being an elite-signal caller and already having a Super Bowl run on his resume, getting the Bengals back to to that point would likely be more about the rest of the team than adding another receiver to the offense. With Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins on both sides, Burrow has weapons.