DeAndre Hopkins Honors Late Dad, Blind Mom During Chiefs Debut in a Special Way

After a lackluster two-year stint at Tennessee, DeAndre Hopkins seems to have rediscovered himself in Kansas City. The wide receiver has been much more active on social media lately, and thanks to this, we caught a glimpse of a heartfelt gesture that Hopkins made for his late father and blind mother ahead of his debut game.

DHop lost his father, Harris Steve Hopkins, when he was six months old. Since then, he has made most of his major decisions with his father’s wishes in mind.

For instance, one of the key reasons why Hopkins decided to complete his graduation was that he thought his father would have wanted him to. For Hopkins, making his parents proud is paramount.

So, it’s no surprise to see him pay tribute to his parents before starting what is arguably an important chapter in his life—a shot at being part of the three-peat run.

Before his debut, Hopkins took to Instagram to share a snap of his gameday cleats. On one of his white cleats, he wrote down the words, “Know you watching Pops” with a black marker as a tribute to his dad.

The other white cleat, meanwhile, had braille symbols engraved on them. Why braille? The symbols hold deep meaning for Hopkins, as his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, was an acid attack victim in 2002.

The attack severely burned her, leaving her blind. The braille symbols are a tribute to his mother who gave her all to raise him.

Luckily for Hopkins, he lived up to his tribute with a stellar showing on the field this weekend.

DHop shines in a brief debut for the Chiefs

Mid-season trades are always tricky, as doubts about the new entrant’s integration are always in question. Luckily for the Chiefs, DeAndre’s debut outing silenced the doubters, as he looked lively and in sync with QB Patrick Mahomes.

Entering late in the game, not much was expected of DHop. However, during this brief playing time, Hopkins was targeted three times, making two catches for 29 yards.

His chemistry with Mahomes was the surprise factor, as Hopkins made clever runs to find open spaces against man coverages. His receiving ability also shone brightly.

Reacting to fans raving about his debut performance, the star wide receiver further heightened their excitement by promising them on social media that this was just the start.

Hopkins, already seeming at ease in the Chiefs setup, is a warning sign to all NFL teams. A wide receiver was the missing piece in the puzzle for the defending champs, and should DHop live up to his potential shown last night, it’s hard to see how the Chiefs juggernaut can be thwarted this season.