The Kansas City Chiefs made an interesting move with the 2024 NFL season already underway by getting star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, giving Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes a talented weapon on offense.
And while Hopkins’ production in Kansas City hasn’t been through the roof so far, Reid and Mahomes found in him a great leader apart from a top pass catcher, something the wideout was already known for.
Speaking to the press on Wednesday in Super Bowl LIX week, Reid revealed that, while he was aware of Hopkins‘ talent, he didn’t really know how much of a leader he was. It didn’t take long for the coach to notice those kills.
“I knew we were getting a good player, but I didn’t know about the leadership part,” Reid said, with quotes courtesy of A to Z Sports’ Charles Goldman. “That whole senior leadership he’s brought, I appreciate that. He’s a unique route runner. He’s shared that with some of the guys.”
Hopkins’ experience before joining Reid, Chiefs
While Reid may have not known how much Hopkins would teach his teammates, the coach did know he was getting an experienced player in him. After all, we’re talking about a 32-year-old player who’s finishing his 12th season in the NFL.
Selected in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Clemson, D-Hop spent seven years with the Houston Texans before being traded to the Arizona Cardinals, where he spent the next three seasons of his career.
That stint was followed by a two-year tenure with the Tennessee Titans, who sent Hopkins to the Chiefs for a 2025 fifth-round pick this season. D-Hop racked up 56 catches for 610 yards and five touchdowns en route to the playoffs, where he now hopes to help Reid and company get the job done in Super Bowl LIV.
Hopkins grateful for trade to Chiefs
Speaking to reporters ahead of Sunday’s game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Hopkins made sure to thank his former team for letting him join the Chiefs and have a chance to challenge for Super Bowl glory.
“It meant a lot for the Titans to trade me to the Chiefs,” Hopkins said this week, via Nick Suss of The Tennessean. “I thank [owner] Ms. Amy [Adams Strunk] and [former General Manager] Ran [Carthon] and his crew for allowing this to happen because without them I wouldn’t be in this situation, so I’ve got to give Nashville and Ms. Amy thanks.”
Hopkins has not only given Reid and Mahomes a reliable weapon on offense, but also more veteran presence in the Chiefs’ WR room. Only time will tell us whether his first year in KC gets a perfect ending.