DeAndre Hopkins scored his first touchdown as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs during Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After the score, Hopkins appeared to reference his former team, the Tennessee Titans, who dealt him to the Chiefs ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline.
After his touchdown catch, Hopkins did a celebration seen in the movie “Remember the Titans,” the 2000 classic staring Denzel Washington.
While things didn’t work out in Nashville, Hopkins nevertheless appreciated the Titans trading him to a contender. The Chiefs entered Monday night’s game with a 7-0 record and are trying to become the first franchise to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
“I’ve got to thank [Titans general manager] Ran [Carthon] and his staff for trading me to a contender, first of all, because those guys could’ve traded me anywhere,” Hopkins said at the time of the trade.
“(Playing for a contender) means a lot. It takes your game to a different level. It take your focus, your drive knowing that you’re playing for something. It takes your game to a different level. I haven’t played meaningful football in a couple years since we probably started 8-0 in Arizona. So it takes your game to a different level.”