Chiefs' DeAndre Hopkins Shares Inspiring Message to Kids Ahead of Super Bowl 59

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins pointed to his journey to Super Bowl LIX as a source of inspiration for younger fans.

"To all the kids out there living in small towns, in small houses, with single parents. To the kids who see violence, who see loss, who don't get the resources they deserve, but who still have big dreams," he said on X. "Know that I was a kid in your exact shoes and this week I'm playing in the Super Bowl. Don't give up, work hard, keep believing. Where you start doesn't determine where you end up."

ESPN's Mina Kimes profiled Hopkins in 2019 and detailed the adversity he and his mother, Sabrina Greenlee, faced as he was growing up. His father died in a car accident when he was five months old. When Hopkins was 10, Greenlee was left blinded when a woman threw a mixture of bleach and lye on her.

A native of Central, South Carolina, Hopkins attended nearby Clemson. Regarding his choice of schools, Kimes wrote he "told his mother it wasn't because of her, but everyone knew that was a lie."

Greenlee attended his games with the Tigers and has remained a fixture in the stands. When she's sitting in the front row, Hopkins celebrates touchdowns by giving her the game ball.

Getting to this point in his NFL career has been a winding journey for the 32-year-old. The Chiefs are his fourth team during a 12-year run.

"Words can't really describe it," he said of getting the opportunity to compete for a championship," per the Associated Press' Dave Skretta. "A dream come true. I've been in the league 12 years and I haven't gotten this far."