DeAndre Hopkins' decision to join the Tennessee Titans was a surprise to many NFL fans. Tennessee wasn't part of the teams initially mentioned to be in the running for the star wide receiver. Because of that, everyone wants to know the thought process behind Hopkins' decision to join the Titans. During the start of their training camp, D-Hop shared some insight on his decision, per Terry McCormick.

“(DeAndre) Hopkins said Derrick Henry was a big factor in him coming to the #Titans. Said he always wanted to play in an offense with a great running back. W/O a great running back, the passing game is hard to establish, he said.”

Indeed, DeAndre Hopkins hasn't played a running back of Derrick Henry's caliber. Even back in Houston, the star WR did not really have that dangerous ground threat to take pressure away from him. Now with the Titans, Hopkins gets to play with arguably the most physically dominant running back today.

2022 was a bit of down year for Henry compared to his last healthy season (2020). That's crazy to say, since the Titans RB still gathered the second-most yards on the ground last year with over 1,500 yards on 349 carries. The threat of Henry's run alone forces defenses to converge and be ready for his attack. With Hopkins in tow, defenses will be more hesitant to crowd the box, lest they get burned by D-Hop's presence.

After a lackluster 2022 season, the Titans are looking to bounce back and create chaos in the AFC hierarchy. The Jaguars are poised to be their biggest competitors in the division. Can Tennessee retake control of the AFC South behind the deadly tandem of Henry and Hopkins?