Tennessee Titans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins did not play in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 34-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills because of what Hopkins called “a slight sore muscle.”

Hopkins stood on the sideline while the Titans made a three-pointer early in the fourth quarter and during the Titans’ next drive, which resulted in an interception, appearing distant from the offensive coaching staff and players. He didn’t check into the lineup when the Titans came up short in the final minute.

Titans coach Brian Callahan said it wasn’t a coach’s decision to keep Hopkins out of the game.

“I’ll have to check with Todd (Toriscelli, the team’s sports medicine director) to see if there’s any truth to this,” Callahan said after the game. “I haven’t received an update on this. But I’m not sure.”

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After a 1,057-yard season in 2023 where he showed a connection with Will Levis, Hopkins hasn’t had the same production this year, much like the Titans’ offense. Hopkins has 15 catches for 173 yards and a touchdown in six games, including a catch for minus-2 yards on his only target on Sunday.

Hopkins, who is a free agent after this season, has been the subject of increasing trade speculation as the Nov. 5 trade deadline approaches and last week saw the league’s latest transactions of veteran receivers. Amari Cooper, one of those traded veterans, caught a touchdown against the Titans in his first game with the Bills after being traded from the Cleveland Browns.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins suffers late loss to Bills with ‘sore’