As soon as DeAndre Hopkins hit the market this offseason, he was linked to the Lions. Outsiders saw a match between a contender long on cap space and short on receivers, and a proven pass-catcher looking for a new team. Hopkins saw it, too.
The Lions, apparently, did not.
Hopkins said the Lions were one of the teams "that I had on my list that I gave them calls and they didn't give a call back," in a recent interview with GQ.
“Detroit Lions, they didn’t want me," he said. "Dallas Cowboys didn’t want me. Giants didn’t want me. Sh*t. Who else ain’t want me? San Fran ain’t want me.”
Hopkins, who was released in May by the rebuilding Cardinals after they failed to find a trade partner for him, ultimately signed a two-year, $26 million deal with the Titans (with just $11 million guaranteed). And while he says he's "very grateful for where I am," he's obviously still rankled by the teams like the Lions that spurned him.
Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler who ranked 10th in the NFL last season in receiving yards per game. The Lions only have one receiver who ranked in the top-75 last season in that department: Amon-Ra St. Brown, who ranked 14th. For Hopkins, it's further fuel.
"When you’re a player and some people feel like they’re great without you, and then you see what they have on paper, or you see what they do, you mark those games down, as a competitor. I can't wait to play' em and, honestly, try my best to crush they ass," he said.
Trouble is, the Titans won't face any of the Lions, Cowboys, Giants or 49ers this season -- unless they collide in the Super Bowl. And by then, safe to assume everyone will be happy with how things worked out.