‘I lost hope’ – Emotional DeAndre Hopkins desperate to win first Super Bowl for blind mom who’s never seen him play in NFL

A small red card featured DeAndre Hopkins’ name, the Kansas City Chiefs’ logo, and a shining image of Super Bowl LIX.

After 12 seasons and too many quarterbacks, one of the best wide receivers in recent NFL history finally had a spot on the world’s biggest sports stage.

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“This has meant the world to me for this organization to come get me from Tennessee,” Hopkins exclusively told talkSPORT on Wednesday at a New Orleans hotel.

“It was like, ‘Wow, these guys see something in me.’

“I kind of almost lost hope in myself.”

Sabrina Greenlee never lost hope.

Greenlee is the mother of a 32-year-old Chief who has 12,965 career receiving yards, 83 touchdowns, five All-Pro selections, and could be immortalized with a bronze bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Greenlee is also a domestic violence survivor who was blinded and severely burned by an acid attack in 2002.

“I was assaulted by a young lady,” Greenlee said on HBO’s Hard Knocks.

“Unbeknownst to me, she was the girlfriend of a guy I have been dealing with and she pours a concoction of liquid Red Devil lye mixed with Clorox. She calls my name and she dashes this on me.”

“I come out of the coma, but I come out of the coma totally blind.”

In 2025, Hopkins is catching passes from Patrick Mahomes and running routes with Travis Kelce, while Andy Reid’s loved/hated Chiefs try to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.

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D-Hop is also trying to lift a career-defining championship trophy for the mother who’s never been able to see him play in the pros or college.

“It gave me motivation daily to wake up and not complain or make excuses, especially in situations in Houston going through multiple quarterbacks,” Hopkins said.  

“I saw a lot of other receivers during that time have a Pro Bowl or All-Pro quarterback and they were making excuses on things.

“I was like, ‘Man, my mom doesn’t make any excuses, so why am I going to complain about a situation if I’m doing something that I love?’ ”

Learning from a 2-14 rookie season in Houston, then persevering as he caught TDs from QBs including Matt Schaub, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, Brock Osweiler and Tom Savage was one thing.

But as Hopkins entered the 2024 season, he found himself playing for a rebuilding Tennessee franchise that was going nowhere – and wasn’t even calling his name in a weak offense.

“I feel like I still got a lot left, a lot to give to this game,” Hopkins said.

“I love this game, man. And I just want to play some meaningful football.”

The Chiefs changed Hopkins’ football life on October 23, and shook up the NFL at the same time.

The former first-round draft pick from Clemson was traded to Kansas City for a fifth-rounder.

Mahomes suddenly had a new weapon — a proven vet who still had something to play for, and had yet to even reach the AFC Championship game.

“I knew we were getting a good player – we played against him quite a little bit,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told talkSPORT.

“But I didn’t know the leadership part. He’s been tremendous that way. He hasn’t complained when we’re spreading the ball around or using other guys, along with him. He’s willing to share in that way.

“And he’s a unique route runner. He knows how to set things up. He shared that with some of the guys, and I appreciate that part, too.”

A stunning 2020 trade by the Texans initially changed Hopkins’ career arc.

Five years after a lopsided deal that was slammed by NFL analysts and fans, Hopkins sees Houston’s era-altering decision as a “blessing in disguise.”

“I’m very thankful that it happened,” Hopkins said.

“As you can see, what happened after the trade didn’t work out in their favor. So for me, it’s a blessing, man.

“I knew it was something that would kind of be tough, going to a team in Arizona.

“But the year I went there, we beat San Francisco for the first time. The second year we started off 8-0, made it to the playoffs, something that Arizona hasn’t done in a long time.

“I took it as a challenge and I appreciate it.”

On Monday in a booming Superdome, Hopkins was one of a select group of Chiefs to receive an elevated podium for media interviews.

Then he used his personal public platform to try and inspire children who might feel like he once did.

“To all the kids out there living in small towns, in small houses, with single parents,” Hopkins posted.

“To the kids who see violence, who see loss, who don’t get the resources they deserve, but who still have big dreams.

“Know that I was a kid in your exact shoes and this week I’m playing in the Super Bowl.

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“Don’t give up, work hard, keep believing. Where you start doesn’t determine where you end up.”

New and longtime Hopkins fans quickly responded to his post.

“Go cement your legacy on Sunday,” one fan said. “No one deserves it more than you.”

“Never give up on a dream!” a second fan wrote. “NEVER!! You got a Dream, you gotta protect it! Thanks for being you!”

Greenlee shared in the triumph of her son’s Super Bowl week breakthrough, tagging ‘journey’ and his name in an Instagram post filled with smiling photos of the two.

“This is bigger than football,” Greenlee wrote. “This is about destiny.”

Hopkins almost lost his love for football as his NFL career quietly faded away in Tennessee.

Then he suddenly became a Chief, was granted entry to the big game, and received a dream spot in New Orleans.

“The Super Bowl, it’s not one of those games that you really care about statistics,” Hopkins said.

“The only thing you care about is winning that game. So for me, if I’m going out having one catch or ten catches, I want to make the best of that.”

If Hopkins finally becomes a world champion on Sunday, he’ll lift a shining trophy for the mother who’s always listening for his name to be called.

“My mom, what she’s doing is incredible,” Hopkins said.

“My message to her is just, ‘Thank you.’ ”