DeAndre Hopkins career timeline: Stats with Texans, career earnings and more for Chiefs WR

The Chiefs have about as much Super Bowl experience as a team can have, but one key cog in their offensive machine is aiming for his first championship this winter.

Veteran WR DeAndre Hopkins, brought in by Kansas City after Rashee Rice's season-ending knee injury, helped get the Chiefs' offense on track and is set to remain a featured part of the passing game even with Marquise "Hollywood" Brown back in the fold.

Hopkins' best days might be behind him as he closes out his 12th NFL season, but his experience could prove vital for the Chiefs as they pursue a three-peat.

Here's a look back at Hopkins' career and each team he's played for. 

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How many teams has DeAndre Hopkins played for?

Houston Texans (2013-19)

The Texans selected Hopkins with the No. 27 pick of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Clemson, pairing him with Andre Johnson in the latter stage of Johnson's career. Hopkins proved to be a worthy successor, as he recorded his first 1,000-yard season in 2014 and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors by 2015.

Hopkins posted five 1,000-yard seasons in Houston, recording a career-high 1,572 yards in 2018 and scoring at least 10 touchdowns in three different seasons. He ranks second in Texans history in receiving yards and touchdowns after a seven-season stint with the franchise.

Hopkins' final game in a Texans uniform came against the Chiefs in the divisional round when Houston blew a 24-0 lead to the eventual champions. 

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Arizona Cardinals (2020-22)

The Texans stunningly traded Hopkins to the Cardinals hours before the start of free agency in 2020, landing David Johnson, a second-round pick, and a fourth-round pick for their star.

Hopkins still had plenty in the tank, as he erupted for 1,407 yards in his first season in Arizona, but his final two years with the Cardinals went by quietly. A knee injury ended his 2021 season prematurely, also helping derail Arizona after an unbeaten start to the year, and he missed the first six games of the 2022 season due to a performance-enhancing substance suspension.

The Cardinals released Hopkins in May 2023 after failing to find a trade partner willing to take on his contract.

Tennessee Titans (2023-24)

Hopkins considered the Chiefs in free agency but ultimately landed with the Titans, who gave him a clearer path to a premier role. Tennessee didn't win many games, but Hopkins did play a sizable role with 1,057 yards and seven touchdowns on 137 targets. He flashed an impressive connection with rookie QB Will Levis, scoring three touchdowns in Levis' first start, but that momentum did not carry over to 2024. After dealing with an injury in training camp, Hopkins' production was minimal through six games before the fading Titans traded him to Kansas City.

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Kansas City Chiefs (2024)

Hopkins was dealt to the Chiefs for a conditional fifth-round pick in October, upgrading Kansas City's wide receiver room with Rice and Brown both injured.

The 32-year-old broke through with an 86-yard, two-touchdown performance against the Buccaneers in Week 9, and he maintained a steady role with at least four catches in six of his next seven games as the Chiefs kept churning out wins.

While Brown's return could make Hopkins' outlook slightly murkier in the playoffs, there's no doubt Patrick Mahomes will look his way from time to time in some big moments. 

DeAndre Hopkins stats

Hopkins is the active receiving yards leader with 12,965, just ahead of Mike Evans and teammate Travis Kelce. He ranks 21st all-time in yards and is tied with Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson, and Brandon Marshall for 26th all-time in touchdown catches.

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DeAndre Hopkins career earnings

Hopkins has made $140.1 million in career earnings, according to Spotrac.

The Clemson product first signed a lucrative extension with the Texans at the end of training camp in 2017, good for $81 million over five years, and he inked a two-year, $54.5 million extension with the Cardinals at the start of the 2020 season.

Hopkins is playing out the final year of a two-year, $26 million deal he signed with the Titans before training camp in 2023.