Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins made himself a “few” extra bucks during the Week 18 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Hopkins entered the week in striking distance of three different incentive tiers, with each worth $250,000. The veteran wideout managed to hit two of them after he reached 75 receptions and 1,050 yards on the season.
The one he missed was eight touchdowns, which he fell just one shy of after notching his seventh score of the year in the 28-20 win over the Jags.
In all, Hopkins hit eight incentive tiers in 2023, good enough for an extra $2 million in his pocket.
“I didn’t really want to be out there thinking about it and try to do more than I needed to,” Hopkins said, per Paul Kuharsky. “I’ve been playing this game a long time, just let it come to you.”
“I had guys on the sideline and some of the coaches were reminding me of what was going on,” he added when asked if teammates and coaches were making him aware of where he stood with the incentives.
DeAndre Hopkins hit two of three $250k incentives. #Titans pic.twitter.com/gLZVEMooy6
— Paul Kuharsky (@PaulKuharskyNFL) January 7, 2024
Hopkins finishes what was a successful first season in Nashville with 75 catches for 1,057 receiving yards and seven scores. One can only imagine how much better it could have been if the offense around Hopkins didn’t struggle as badly as it did.
Nevertheless, now the question becomes: will Hopkins return in 2024?
The Titans should certainly be interested in keeping him, as Hopkins, who is under contract in 2024, has not only proven he still has plenty left in the tank, he’s also been vital for the development of rookie quarterback. Will Levis.
But it’s hard to imagine the Titans will stand in Hopkins’ way if he decides he wants to play for a team with a better chance to contend.
