OTAs aren't serious football, so it makes sense that OTA soundbites aren't serious controversies. But the Titans sure did put that to the test recently, which is always appreciated in mid-May. This one's about the Titans' star wide receiver, DeAndre Hopkins, and the Titans, uh, other wide receiver, Treylon Burks.
Burks hasn't quite come on the way that people expected when Tennessee drafted him in the first round back in 2022. In two seasons, Burks only has 49 catches, 665 yards, and one touchdown; he's yet to appear in more than 11 games a season, and hasn't started more than nine. And while he's still only 24, the addition of Calvin Ridley won't make it any easier for him to have the breakout season everyone's been waiting for.
During OTAs, Hopkins was asked a very Sports Reporter-y question about whether or not Burks was being slept on this season (probably by the national media!!!). His response was certainly ... a response.
DeAndre Hopkins asked if people are sleeping on Treylon Burks: “How do I answer that without making a negative sound byte? Nein, that’s no in German.”
— Terry McCormick (@terrymc13) May 21, 2024
You get what Hopkins is saying, but it's definitely not the best wording – which is ironic considering how hard he tried to make it the right wording. Happens to the best of us. But that response made the rounds, which is never a good thing. So much so, in fact, that Hopkins decided to do some tweetin' of his own to clear things up.
The media is the only one sleeping on Treylon Burks, No one in the locker room doubted him or slept on him “we are not people” I can't speak for “people” so Nein he's never been slept on to us. Thank you come again 😂 https://t.co/dLNJl0AbkY
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) May 21, 2024
Ah. That clears it up! It was the media's fault. No one in the locker room is sleeping on Burks, just the media. Thank goodness this episode of "tweeting quotes isn't always such a good idea" has come to a clean, neat ending. When in doubt, remember: the media sleeps on everyone, but the locker room is strong as always.