The 'Pastor Turned GM' Shot From DeAndre Hopkins That Tells You Everything About Houston's 7-26-1 Collapse

The 'Pastor Turned GM' Shot From DeAndre Hopkins That Tells You Everything About Houston's 7-26-1 Collapse DeAndre Hopkins is out here on TikTok, setting the internet ablaze with a Netflix documentary trend video, and he's not holding back one bit when it comes to his past with the Houston Texans. The free-agent wide receiver just dropped a video of himself, sitting down, looking ready to spill some serious tea, with a caption that hits harder than a defensive end blitz: "Preparing for the Netflix doc on surviving a pastor turned NFL General Manager." Yikes! That's a direct shot, right there, and anyone who followed the Texans' drama knows exactly who he's talking about.

A Chaplain's Rise and a Star's Exit

For those who might have forgotten the absolute circus in Houston, Hopkins is clearly referencing Jack Easterby, the Texans' executive vice president of football operations from 2019 to 2022. But get this, Easterby’s journey to that executive role was bizarre, to say the least. Before joining Houston, he was part of the New England Patriots' organization, where he started off as a *team chaplain*. Let that sink in. A chaplain. His role with the Texans somehow gradually morphed, expanding to include assisting with drills, draft evaluations, orienting new players, and even holding Bible studies and religious services, according to SI.com's Mike D'Abate. It sounds less like an NFL front office and more like a Sunday school field trip gone rogue. Hopkins himself spent his first seven dominant seasons in Houston, from 2013 to 2019, consistently proving himself as one of the league's top wideouts. He was coming off his fourth Pro Bowl nod when Easterby officially joined the Texans in 2019. Their shared tenure? Incredibly brief. In March 2020, Houston made the head-scratching decision to trade a Pro Bowl-caliber receiver to the Arizona Cardinals. And the whispers? They got loud. Easterby reportedly pushed hard for the Texans to move Hopkins. You trade your star player, you expect fireworks, right? Well, Houston got them, but not the good kind.

The Fallout and the Footprint of a Disaster

The consequences for the Texans after shipping Hopkins out were immediate and brutal. The team completely cratered, compiling a dismal 7-26-1 record over the next two years. Seven wins. Twenty-six losses. One tie. That’s a pure, unadulterated disaster. It shows you exactly what happens when you push out elite talent, especially when that push comes from a "pastor turned NFL General Manager." The struggles were so profound that Easterby didn't even see out the 2022 season; Houston finally parted ways with him in October of that year. So, here's Hopkins, a free agent, dropping this viral TikTok, and it’s way more than just a funny moment. It’s a stark reminder of the chaos, the questionable decision-making, and the utter collapse that plagued the Texans. That 7-26-1 record isn't just a statistic; it’s the footprint of a colossal mistake, allegedly engineered by the very person Hopkins is now calling out in the most public way possible. This isn't just a troll, it’s a history lesson for the entire league.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.

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