Tennessee Titans WR DeAndre Hopkins is playing his eleventh season in the NFL. For over a decade, he has dominated the gridiron and scored some insane touchdowns. Nevertheless, the 5x Pro Bowler’s touchdown celebrations are memorable, as he has a unique ritual of celebrating it with his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, who is blind. While other NFL players resort to celebrating with their typical dance moves, Hopkins runs to the sidelines and hands the touchdown ball to his mother.
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Hopkins’ mother has not witnessed him score a single touchdown since he started playing in the NFL. However, there is a heartwarming aspect to their game-time connection that lies behind a heart-breaking story. This unique tradition of celebrating touchdowns with his mother started during his days with the Houston Texans and continues to this day.
The Tragic Accident of DeAndre Hopkins’ Mother
DeAndre Hopkins was only 10 years old when his mother met with an accident that changed her life forever. In 2002, Greenlee woke up to find her car keys to be missing. She promptly went to her boyfriend’s residence to confront him. At that location, a woman identified as Savannah Grant approached her and poured a mixture of bleach and lye on her face. At first, it felt like warm water, but she soon realized that her skin had started to peel off.
At the time of the incident, Greenlee was a single mother of four children who lived in South Carolina. She was soon rushed to the hospital with severe burns on her face, chest, and back. She did not completely lose her eyesight at that moment but remained in a medically induced coma for several weeks. The court charged the attacker with assault and battery of intending to kill and sentenced her to 20 years in prison.
Greenley used to work at an automotive plant but was forced to quit as she slowly lost her eyesight. She became depressed and to overcome the situation; she fell into alcoholism. However, attending her son’s games became her lifeline, pulling her out of the sea of despair. Hopkins aimed to share her story with the world and would often gift her his touchdown balls, which has now transformed into a cherished ritual.
A Mother-Son’s Bond Beyond Touchdowns
There was a time when Greenlee was hesitant to attend her son’s game, as she feared unwanted attention. It was Hopkins who convinced her to watch his games live from the stadiums, as he wanted the world to know about her. Greenley now asks her family members to take her out on her son’s football game. She positions herself right on the sidelines, and whenever the Titans‘ WR scores a touchdown, her daughter assists her in leaning over to accept the football from him.
Hopkins once said, “That ball symbolizes so much more than people ever could understand”
For Hopkins, it’s not just a ritual. Although his mother can’t see him play and score touchdowns, she can feel the crowd’s roar when he successfully outruns an opponent. Beyond that, he can see her and showcase to the world what his mother means to him. Greenlee has been Hopkins’ pillar of support for years, and he’s repaying her with all the love and respect in the world.
