DeAndre Hopkins' reason for picking No. 8 will make Chiefs fans love him even more
The Kansas City Chiefs needed a receiver, and they got one. On Wednesday, the Chiefs finalized a trade with the Tennessee Titans for DeAndre Hopkins. And the following day, the receiver touched down in Kansas City. There were a lot of logistics that needed to be figured out, but one of the key ones was […]
The Kansas City Chiefs needed a receiver, and they got one.
On Wednesday, the Chiefs finalized a trade with the Tennessee Titans for DeAndre Hopkins. And the following day, the receiver touched down in Kansas City.
There were a lot of logistics that needed to be figured out, but one of the key ones was what number was he going to wear on his new team?
Especially because No. 10, which Hopkins has worn for his entire NFL career, belongs to running back Isiah Pacheco.
So instead, he decided to go with No. 8. And his reason for doing that is bound to bring a smile to everyone's face.
"Kobe Bryant, one of my favorite athletes of all time," Hopkins told reporters on Thursday. "So, I knew if I ever got the chance to wear number eight, just like when I picked number 10, (Lionel) Messi was my favorite soccer player, an underdog.
"It felt like me at the time coming out of college. And Kobe? Number eight is a special number."
A tribute to one of the best athletes of all time.
And soon after, he was spotted at practice wearing No. 8.
So how soon can fans expect to see Hopkins in a game?
Andy Reid gave them the answer they were hoping for.
"Well, it could be this weekend," Reid said. "Yeah, we'll just, we'll see how he picks up. I've got to get him on the practice field.
"But right now, I mean, why wait, right? If he can handle it without putting him in a bad position."
They have confidence that his experience will allow him to pick up the playbook quickly and immediately contribute.
"You start kind of from the bottom of just the snap count part of it, and work your way up through," Reid said. "But he's seen enough, he's been around it long enough to where it's more a dialect than a language that he has to learn."
So, who's ready to see a lot more of No. 8 out on the field for the Chiefs this season?
‘He has a master’s degree in playing football’ — Justin Reid gushes about new Chiefs WR DeAndre Hopkins
DeAndre Hopkins reunites with former Houston Texans teammate Justin Reid in Kansas City.
