DeAndre Hopkins: A Veteran’s Journey to the Kansas City Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — DeAndre Hopkins has been a familiar face in the NFL for quite some time. With the Kansas City Chiefs marking his fourth team in 12 seasons, Hopkins found himself in a unique position when he joined the Chiefs midseason. Despite his extensive experience, Hopkins felt a sense of renewal, almost like a rookie, as he stepped into a team brimming with talent and high expectations.
Teaming up with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Chris Jones, under the guidance of Andy Reid, Hopkins was thrust into a world where the weight of expectations was palpable. At 32, with the realization of his football mortality looming, this was precisely the scenario Hopkins had been yearning for.
“They’re coming off a championship — two championships — so it feels a lot different than anywhere I’ve been,” Hopkins remarked. His previous playoff experiences with the Houston Texans and Arizona Cardinals never advanced beyond the divisional round. “Everything everybody does here, not just in this facility but outside the facility, is detailed, and that’s how you win championships,” he added. “It means a lot. It takes your game to a different level. It takes your focus, your drive, knowing that you’re playing for something.”
While Hopkins may not be the prolific receiver he once was, his impact on the Chiefs is undeniable. In the 10 games since his arrival, he has recorded 41 catches for 437 yards and four touchdowns. His contributions have helped the Chiefs secure a 15-2 record, a ninth-straight AFC West championship, and the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed.
Mahomes expressed his admiration for Hopkins, saying, “You didn’t know what to expect as far as the player on and off the field. But he gets in the room and he’s a leader from Day 1. He’s teaching younger guys, he’s helping younger guys in the room about stuff that he’s learned. Then you get on the practice field and you see how explosive he still is and how he can still make these plays, and he can go one-on-one with the best of the best and win.”
The stakes are only getting higher as the Chiefs prepare to face the Texans at Arrowhead Stadium in their 2024 playoff opener (4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+). This is precisely the kind of meaningful football Hopkins has been eager to play at this stage of his career. He was so grateful for the October trade from Tennessee that he personally thanked Titans general manager Ran Carthon for sending him to a contending team.
“I haven’t played meaningful football in a couple years since we probably started [7-0] in Arizona [in 2021], so it takes a game to a different level,” Hopkins said. “I’ve done a lot, all the accolades that I can accomplish as far as personal, so I think just playing meaningful football in January is what’s left on the list.”
The Long Road to Kansas City
Hopkins’ journey to the Chiefs seemed almost inevitable. The Chiefs had been pursuing him for some time, engaging in trade talks with the Cardinals and later courting him as a free agent. However, Hopkins initially chose the Titans over Kansas City.
The turning point came two years ago when Hopkins crossed paths with Chris Jones at an event in Miami. Their conversation naturally drifted to the potential of Hopkins joining the Chiefs. “We both agreed that he’d be super successful with this offense,” Jones recalled. “Unfortunately, we weren’t able to acquire him at the time. But how life works, it’s full circle. And unfortunately with injuries, we needed a wide receiver.”
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach was among those who believed Hopkins was destined for Kansas City, especially when he was a free agent two years ago. The Chiefs had lost JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman to free agency, creating a void in their wide receiver group.
“We were right there at the end and Tennessee just got to a place that we couldn’t do money-wise,” Veach explained. “He went to Tennessee but if we had the means to [sign him] I think he would have come here.”
After injuries to wide receivers Rashee Rice and Hollywood Brown, the Chiefs finally made the trade happen this season, acquiring Hopkins and sending a fifth-round draft pick to the Titans, which becomes a fourth if the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl.
Hopkins’ Role and Leadership
When the Chiefs traded for Hopkins, they were seeking a veteran presence to stabilize their wide receiver group. At the time, Smith-Schuster was sidelined with an injury, along with Brown and Rice, though he returned to the lineup in November.
In Hopkins, they found a leader willing to guide a group that included promising rookie and first-round draft pick Xavier Worthy. Hopkins immediately took charge in receiving drills, setting an example for his teammates.
“We’ve had players we acquired at midseason and usually the first practice is a feeling-out process,” Veach noted. “We get DeAndre and the first practice he hops right in line, the front of the line. I’m sure that’s what he’s done his whole career, but I think that’s important when you come to a team with a young group.”
Hopkins is accustomed to being his quarterback’s favorite target, having led his team in receptions in seven of his first 11 NFL seasons. However, with the Chiefs, he had to embrace a different role, one that required him to share the spotlight with others.
“He really hasn’t been that way,” offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said. “There’ll be some things that he sees throughout the game, and he’ll come to you and voice it like, ‘Hey, I see this.’ I love that. I know Coach Reid does, too. On his end of it, he’s got to understand too, ‘Okay, we’ve got you.’
“He’s been great with responding to us telling him that, and I don’t think that that should change. He’s played a lot of reps. He’s seen a lot of things.”
Hopkins’ credentials for eventual inclusion in the Pro Football Hall of Fame already seem set. He’s 16th all-time in pass receptions (984), 21st in yardage (12,965). Helping the Chiefs win a third straight Super Bowl would only strengthen his legacy. That’s why the Chiefs traded for him and why he thanked the Titans for sending him to Kansas City.
But he seemed to enjoy the ride along the way. “Throughout my career, I’ve been a big fan of what Andy has done,” Hopkins said. “Going against those guys in Houston, they gave us some tough battles, so I always just admired him from afar. I haven’t been here long, but Coach Reid has definitely pushed me as a player. He’s always watching everything that you do and you want to go out and be perfect. You’ll not be perfect but you want to try your best. There’s a standard that he has and you feel it in the locker room.”
“I’m grateful to be here. I’m still taking it in.”
Originally Written by: Adam Teicher
