BroBible
There was a time where DeAndre Hopkins was considered the best wide receiver of his generation. Following some lost years in Arizona and Tennessee, however, the former star wideout somewhat faded from the NFL world’s consciousness.
During his prime with the Texans from 2014 to 2019, DeAndre Hopkins had at least 1,150 receiving yards in five of those seven seasons. Even in his first season with the Cardinals in 2020, he had a career high 115 catches for 1,407 yard and six touchdowns.
In the 2020s, however, due to both injury and dysfunction within the organizations he played for — the Cardinals and Tennessee Titans — Hopkins fell off the map until the Chiefs acquired him in a mid-season trade last fall.
Speaking to reporters after the game, the new lease-on-life that the trade to the Chiefs has given his career was not lost on the future Hall of Fame wideout, who bemoaned being undervalued during his prime and thanked the Chiefs front office for giving him this opportunity.
“I’ve been doubted, a lot of people wrote me off, 12 years in the league, I got traded for some pennies in my prime,” Hopkins said following his first-ever AFC Championship game win.
“Thanks to the organization [Chiefs] that gave me a shot, I could still go out here and make plays when I need to… draw double teams and play meaningful football.”
What a moment for DeAndre Hopkins.
12 years in the league. Four teams. Five-time Pro Bowler.
First AFC title game in the books, and now first Super Bowl on the way.
“They gave me a shot.” #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/NtExyKqdTe
— Marleah Campbell (@MarleahKCTV5) January 27, 2025
In the 32-29 win over Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game, Hopkins had just one catch for 11 yards. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes wasn’t necessarily lighting it up through the air, though, as he passed for just 245 yards, with 85 of them going to lead receiver Xavier Worthy on six catches.
Speaking to *The Athletic’*s Michael Silver, Hopkins also addressed the notion that Mahomes has become a “villain” of the National Football League in recent years.
“Everybody has to choose a team they go against or that they feel is getting help from someone,” Hopkins said. “Everybody has to choose a villain, and it’s easy to choose someone who’s winning as much as our guy is.”
“How can Patrick Mahomes be the villain? The same way Tom Brady could be and the same way Michael Jordan was. Why do people still talk about MJ pushing off almost 30 years later? Because he’s one of the greatest ever to do it, and when he won his sixth, people were tired of watching him win.”
The Chiefs will take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, February 9 at the Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. Hopkins and the Chiefs have opened as 2-point favorites over the Birds at...
