As Dustin Hopkins walked around an empty field at Cleveland Browns Stadium following their win over the Steelers in November, only the grounds crew was present. Hopkins had his son, Wake, on his shoulders, and he soaked in what he had just accomplished.
With the Browns tied 10-10 and five seconds left in the fourth quarter, Hopkins lined up and hit a 34-yard field goal that would give the Browns a 13-10 lead and eventual win over Pittsburgh.
"Getting to share the aftermath of that moment with him and I got to bring him into the locker room, that was a special time for me, really just afterwards," Hopkins said.
It was a moment from his first season in Cleveland that he holds close to him. He added another significant moment, as Hopkins officially signed a 3-year contract extension with the Browns.
When he landed in Cleveland to sign the extension and stepped off the plane with his wife, Gabby, and two sons in tow, he noticed how the city held a new level of significance to him. He and his family will call Cleveland home for the foreseeable future.
"I had a whole new feeling pulling in as far as the familiarity from being here last year, but also a place that is like, 'Hey, this is this is going to be home for a while now.' So, it feels great," Hopkins said. "I've been telling other people that have not interacted with people from Cleveland haven't been here, first and foremost, how great all the people I've interacted with have been – not just in the building, but even outside in the city. Just like a good hard working people group that are kind and friendly, but also have a nice grit to them. I think it's a great combination. So, I'm excited."
In his first season with Cleveland, Hopkins played an integral role in the Browns' success. He converted 33 of 36 field goals in 2023, including four game-winning field goals. His 33 made field goals were the most by a Brown in a season. Hopkins finished second to Jim Brown for most points scored by a Brown in a season with 123, as Brown finished with 126 in 1965.
He also set other records with his 50-plus yard field goals. Hopkins recorded eight 50-plus yard field goals in 2023, which set a record for the Browns. He also set an NFL record with at least one 50-plus yard field goal in five consecutive games.
Hopkins earned other accolades throughout the season, as he was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in Week 6 of the 2023 season. That week, he scored 13 of the Browns' 19 points on four field goals and an extra point in the win over the 49ers. He also earned a game ball from head coach Kevin Stefanski in Week 7 with his hand in their win over the Colts when he hit a 58-yard field goal – which also set a career best for Hopkins.
Hopkins dealt with a hamstring injury in the final stretch of the season that caused him to miss the final two games, as well as the Wild Card playoff game against the Texans. However, he returns healthy and spent time during the offseason training in Tennessee and was present for mandatory minicamp.
Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone said throughout the 2023 season, Hopkins communicated well about the volume of kicks in practice in order to stay healthy, with a lower volume of kicks and kickoffs, and it yielded results. Ventrone said they will take a similar approach during the 2024 season and keep that consistency.
Hopkins' relationship with Ventrone played an important role in his transition to Cleveland.
"I've always appreciated the intensity that he brings," Hopkins said. "You can tell that he's a guy that he would suit up tomorrow if you could have a player coach. He's still all in on football. And he brings a passion that I think is contagious to a room. So, the intensity that Bubba brings, the energy he brings and the way he helps guys realize like this is a great avenue for you to make a name for yourself as well, I think just can't be overlooked. I've enjoyed working with Bubba – when things go right, he gets really hyped, and even when things go wrong, the way he's approached me and the guys around us is tough, but always productive."
Hopkins first joined the Browns in August 2023 when he was acquired in a trade with the Chargers. The Browns sent a 2025 seventh round pick for Hopkins.
"When we traded for Dustin at the end of last year's training camp it was with the intent of stabilizing our ability to produce in high leverage kicking situations," Executive Vice President of Football Operations and General Manager Andrew Berry said. "He was not only able to accomplish this goal in the most difficult kicking environment in the NFL, but also quickly endeared himself to our locker room through his work ethic, team-orientation and relatability. We're pleased to have Dustin and his family—Gabby, Wake and Wiley—in Cleveland for the next several seasons."
Hopkins had an idea that he would be traded by the Chargers, with a few teams he thought could be potential landing spots. But Cleveland came as an initial surprise. However, it brought a sense of gratitude seeing a team take necessary steps to bring him into the building.
"After being here, it's the best run organization I've been a part of, top to bottom," Hopkins said. "As far as everybody in this building feels like they're pulling in the same direction, like and we're all working toward a common goal. From ownership to whatever level, you want to choose, it feels like everybody's willing to do whatever it takes to try to bring the city a winning team. And so, I've always felt like the entire organization respects everyone in the building. And that's kind of rare, that everybody treats each other with a lot of respect just as humans. I've always felt like I've been treated as a person first here, which makes all the difference in the world when you're coming into work."
Yet, for Hopkins, it extends beyond him. The extension now brings another level of stability for Hopkins and his family. Hopkins said that his oldest son, Wake, has nonverbal autism.
"Therapies and other aspects of that are super important," Hopkins said. "Any consistency we can have for his sake – and also too, just me as an individual and as a family, it's nice to have consistency – but especially for his sake, it's such an important piece to his regulation and his progress. So, being at a place that understands that and how awesome they've been with helping facilitate me being as good a player I can be, but also as good of a father and a husband I can be. It makes just a huge difference. Any consistency we can have as a family is just so helpful, and I'm just thankful for it."
As Hopkins walked around CrossCountry Mortgage Campus with his wife and two sons, he reflected on the different turns his 11-year career has taken him to eventually land in Cleveland. From being drafted by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, to then being released in 2014, jumping from the Saints from 2014-15, to Washington from 2015-2021 and then the Chargers from 2021 until he was traded in 2023, he understands how each stop played a role in his career.
He also feels the most comfortable kicking than ever before – and credited the job LS Charley Hughlett and P Corey Bojorquez played in his success in 2023 with the clean looks they provided him. That comfort level in his kicking, as well as seeing his growth, has allowed him to find a home for the next few seasons.
"I think one aspect I think of a verse that comes to mind is, 'He works to the good of those who love him and are called according to His purpose,'" Hopkins said. "And I think all the ups and downs, they're all working toward my good. And I don't just mean contractually now that it's all kind of a combination. That's a part of the story. But it's more through career trials, they are all helping to shape and mold me. I'm thankful for those moments, the hardships and successes."
