Getty Images DeAndre Hopkins getting ready to play.
When Houston Texans legendary wide receiver Andre Johnson was playing, he might’ve had the most unfortunate situation in the NFL. He was indeed one of the wide receivers who played great, but couldn’t take his game to the levels it deserved to be on because of who was throwing him the ball. The Texans tried a few times to land a legitimate franchise quarterback during that time, but it never seemed to work.
When Jonson’s days were numbered in Houston, a young prospect out of Clemson joined the team, and Johnson quickly became his mentor. As Johnson believed that DeAndre Hopkins had the potential to become the best wideout in the game, something in his mind was telling him that it couldn’t happen if the Texans couldn’t supply him a top-tier quarterback.
Like Johnson, Hopkins was getting passes thrown from career backups. And crazy enough, Hopkins was making the most difficult catches look easy. Because look, he is one of the best wideouts in the game. And with Deshaun Watson throwing him the ball now, they have become one of the most dangerous duo’s in the NFL this season.
Johnson Expresses His Happiness for Hopkins’ Situation
For a while, it seemed that Hopkins’ trajectory would mirror his mentor’s path; that he’d finish his career without ever finding his equal under center, doomed to a sort of receiving spinsterhood. Then, in the spring of 2017, the Texans drafted Watson, and everything changed. When Johnson saw the rookie quarterback play with Hopkins for the first time, he was overjoyed. “It’s like a burden was lifted off of his shoulders,” he says.
For Andre Johnson, his situation was far from ideal. It was almost like his talent was wasted after playing all of those years with mediocre quarterbacks. For Hopkins, he no longer has to deal with that issue. Deshaun Watson is truly the real deal in Houston, and there’s a legitimate chance that those two alone take the Texans offense above and beyond this season. With playoffs in sight, Hopkins finally has the opportunity to make the postseason games count. In previous situations, the Texans were deemed as frauds. This time around, they are the real deal.
Johnson’s only word of advice to Hopkins is to work with his quarterback. Be teammates. Don’t be the diva wide receiver that gets upset when you don’t get the ball and things don’t go your way. Hopkins listened, and he’s done just that. And so far, it’s all working out. With over 1,100 yards on the year with nine touchdowns, Hopkins is easily one of the most productive wideouts in the league. Now, the Texans just need to take their game to the next level down the stretch.