KANSAS CITY, Mo. – DeAndre Hopkins was caught on a downtrodden workforce in Tennessee headed for the No. 1 general choose within the draft.
Kareem Hunt was caught with no job in any respect.
But the veteran huge receiver and operating again, together with Marquise Brown, D.J. Humphries and others, managed to strike gold — as in, gold and diamond-encrusted AFC championship rings — when circumstances introduced them to Kansas Metropolis.
Now, that assortment of gamers will attempt for much more riches when they face the Philadelphia Eagles within the Tremendous Bowl in somewhat greater than every week, a outstanding twist for NFL careers that had been lengthy on private success however brief on workforce outcomes.
“Phrases cannot actually describe it,” admitted Hopkins, a three-time All-Professional, who had achieved nearly the whole lot in his profession however play for a real championship contender. “A dream come true. I have been within the league 12 years and I have never gotten this far.”
The Chiefs have, after all. They’re making their third straight journey to the massive recreation, and fifth in six years, as they attempt to turn into the primary franchise in NFL historical past to lift three consecutive Lombardi Trophies come Tremendous Bowl Sunday.
They could as properly begin scheduling these February enterprise journeys.
However for many gamers, together with Hopkins, making it’s akin to a crowning achievement, a second they labored for his or her whole profession. In his case, that meant 178 regular-season video games and eight extra within the playoffs. His mixed manufacturing has meant greater than 1,000 catches and 13,000 yards, or roughly 7 1/2 miles price of receptions. And it meant many wins, however simply as many losses.
So it was fairly the profession lifeline for Hopkins when the Chiefs, who had misplaced Brown and Rashee Rice to accidents, requested the Titans a few commerce. He joined a franchise with a championship pedigree from a workforce that completed 3-14 this previous season.
“To get traded and attempt to study the playbook in a single day, it was powerful. However this group and these coaches, they’re right here for a cause, to get guys to be their finest,” Hopkins mentioned. “I by no means went wherever the place they had been speaking in regards to the Tremendous Bowl.”
Hunt joined the Chiefs below comparable circumstances: They wanted a operating again after Isiah Pacheco acquired harm.
He was sitting round at dwelling when it occurred, nonetheless recovering from a core muscle surgical procedure that had scared many groups off from signing him this season. Hunt picked up the telephone and referred to as Andy Reid, who had coached him in Kansas Metropolis — earlier than off-the-field points led to Hunt’s launch — and who had stayed in touch with him through the years.
“He simply mentioned he needed to be there,” Reid recalled. “He is acquired a superb coronary heart, even when he went via his deal. He has a superb coronary heart, and I had confidence he may soar in and assist us, and I knew he needed to redeem himself amongst the neighborhood.”
Hunt instantly turned the lead operating again for Kansas Metropolis, choosing up exhausting yards each time he touched the ball. When Pacheco returned from his damage, it rapidly turned obvious that Hunt was nonetheless the extra productive of the 2, and it confirmed in an AFC title win over Buffalo final week. Hunt ran 17 instances for 64 yards and a landing.
Now, he is headed to his first Tremendous Bowl after taking part in greater than 100 regular-season video games.
“It is at all times particular to return full circle,” Chiefs normal supervisor Brett Veach mentioned, “and to see the best way he is grown and developed on and off the sector is nice. He is an exceptional soccer participant and I am blessed that it labored out and he is again right here.”
Brown is likewise chasing his first Tremendous Bowl ring, although his path up to now was a bit totally different.
The fleet-footed but injury-prone huge receiver signed a one-year take care of Kansas Metropolis previous to the season, hoping to be the No. 1 possibility for Patrick Mahomes on a workforce chasing a historic Tremendous Bowl title.
As an alternative, on the very first play of the preseason, he sustained a shoulder damage that many thought would finish Brown’s season.
The Chiefs held out hope that he would possibly return, although, and his rehab by November was forward of schedule. Brown lastly acquired on the sector in December and has turn into part of a large receiver group that could be the very best Kansas Metropolis has had in years.
Identical to Hopkins and Hunt, Brown now finds himself taking part in for a championship on the most important stage within the recreation.
“Simply seeing Kareem standing there going, ‘Wow, that is unbelievable,’ or D.J. leaping up and down, who’s been on this league some time and been via a couple of issues, or DeAndre — he had a smile on his face, it was a mile huge,” Reid mentioned. “I imply, all these issues, (Samaje) Perine goes and helps seals the (AFC title) for us — a brand new addition. All that stuff is nice. That’s why you do that, that’s why you do that as a coach. To get to see these guys which have achieved like they’ve achieved right here.”
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