Mahomes praises Hopkins after OT win: He's 'a special type of player'
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes had nothing but praise for DeAndre Hopkins after the wide receiver's two-touchdown performance in Monday night's overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
"He's so good at winning one-on-one, and so to be able to have him down in the red zone, third-down situations, he does a good job of filling out and finding those windows kind of like Travis (Kelce) does," Mahomes said, according to NFL.com's Grant Gordon. "As he figures out the offense, he'll get even better."
Hopkins recorded eight receptions for 86 yards and two touchdowns against Tampa Bay, his second game since joining the Chiefs in a trade from the Tennessee Titans. His multi-score game was his first since Week 7 of the 2023 season.
Hopkins set up his first TD of the night by reeling in an improbable 35-yard catch from Mahomes in triple coverage.
"To have a guy like that that can go up and make that catch in a crowd of defenders is a special type of player," Mahomes said.
Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time first-team All-Pro. He was acquired from Tennessee on Oct. 24 for a 2025 conditional fifth-round pick. Hopkins' debut with the Chiefs came three days later against the Las Vegas Raiders, where he caught two passes for 29 yards.
The 32-year-old has quickly become the Chiefs' top receiver after Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown were placed on injured reserve.
"Me just picking (Mahomes') brain, asking him what he likes, and when I'm not out there, taking the rep, I'm always learning and just seeing how he does things," Hopkins said.
The Chiefs will look to keep their undefeated streak going on Sunday against the Denver Broncos.