Kansas City Chiefs fans are going to have mixed feelings about the latest headline surrounding DeAndre Hopkins. The former Chief joined a rival during the offseason, signing with the Baltimore Ravens to help bolster a questionable receiving group. It was a solid move for the Ravens and shrugged off by many Kansas City fans due to the receiver's underwhelming performance with the team in the 2024 stretch run. Hopkins posted the caption "I'm old and I can't run" on his Instagram on top of the fastest times of the day in OTAs.
Hopkins had the third-fastest speed for the Ravens among some impressive options. It is important to note that OTA times at the start of the summer are a difficult metric to judge. Still, it is a skillset that the veteran certainly didn't have during his time in Kansas City. The receiver looked old and slow clearly hampered by injuries and unable to have the expected impact.
DeAndre Hopkins' Message is One Chiefs Fans Simply Don't Want to Hear
In truth, Hopkins did appear to be playing through some serious injuries and giving the Chiefs everything he had. This does little to lessen the frustration with a player who was once among the league's elite pass catchers. Hopkins' posting this story is a reminder of a failed season and points out that the veteran is hearing the noise as well.
While Kansas City would typically wish former players well, it is hard to hope for the best with Hopkins joining one of the Chiefs' wishful rivals. If Hopkins were to regain his speed and become a consistent weapon for Lamar Jackson, perhaps the Chiefs should be a bit concerned about Baltimore. There isn't any question that it is a well-coached group that has built a unit they hope is capable of beating the Chiefs.
Regardless, it is a nice reminder of what Kansas City did accomplish despite not getting the expected impact from Hopkins. Whether it was injury, age, or a combination of both, the veteran's time in Kansas City isn't going to be remembered with much fondness. If the very next season the veteran joins the Ravens and is able to turn back the clock, the frustration will only grow. It's unquestionably an interesting story and one Chiefs fans will have an eye on throughout the summer.