DeAndre Hopkins Puts Joe Burrow Atop His Quarterback Wish List
DeAndre Hopkins has collected quarterbacks like infinity stones during his 13-year NFL career.
The three-time All-Pro wide receiver caught passes from 17 different quarterbacks with the Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans before the Titans traded him to the Kansas City Chiefs in October 2024.
Hopkins was a sure-handed reinforcement for Patrick Mahomes, and he finally reached the Super Bowl with the Chiefs, who were blown out by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Hopkins joined the Baltimore Ravens last offseason in hopes of actually winning his first Super Bowl with two-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Instead, Jackson struggled with injuries, so Hopkins also caught passes from Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley en route to a disappointing 8-9 record.
Now, Hopkins remains a free agent, and he has his sights set on the Cincinnati Bengals.
Sports Illustrated caught up with Hopkins on the red carpet at the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday and asked him which quarterback he’d like to play with next.
“I got to go with Joe Burrow,” Hopkins said. “I think Joe is one of the best. 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 get back there with a little bit of help.”
Burrow and Hopkins connected for a touchdown in the inaugural Fanatics Flag Football Classic in late March, and Hopkins also made his case for the Bengals to sign him at the round-robin tournament:
Burrow led the Bengals to Super Bowl LVI in his second season as the starting quarterback in 2021. Cincinnati lost to the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl, then to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game the following season. The Bengals have not made the playoffs since then.
Hopkins is correct that Burrow needs help in getting the Bengals back to the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl, but he does not need help at wide receiver. Star receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins signed extensions simultaneously in March 2025.
Burrow’s health and Cincinnati’s defense have been the primary culprits in keeping the Bengals out of the playoffs the past three years - and it’s mostly the defense’s fault.
Burrow missed seven games with a complicated injury in his throwing wrist in 2023, and he missed nine games last season with turf toe. But sandwiched in between was a fully healthy season in which Burrow led the NFL with 4,918 passing yards and 43 passing touchdowns, and the Bengals still went 9-8 and missed the playoffs because their defense couldn’t stop anyone.
Last season, the Bengals’ defense ranked dead last in defending the run, second-worst in total defense, and third-worst in scoring defense.
That’s why the Bengals traded the 10th overall pick in last weekend’s 2026 NFL Draft to the New York Giants in exchange for defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II. They also addressed defense in free agency and with their first two draft picks.
Playing with Burrow might lead Hopkins’ wish list, but signing him is likely not a priority in Cincinnati.
2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 8:08 PM.