Chris Hogan has breakout performance in AFC Championship victory

Getty Images | Maddie Meyer

From college lacrosse player to NFL star wide receiver, Chris Hogan is proving himself to be a great pickup for the New England Patriots.

Hogan turned in a very impressive performance in Sunday night’s AFC Championship win over the Pittsburgh Steelers to help send the Pats to the Super Bowl. He totaled nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns. His 180 receiving yards broke the franchise's postseason record for receiving yardage in a game.

“I’m just happy to take advantage of this opportunity, to be part of this team,” Hogan said after the victory, “It’s been a long journey, but I’ve worked really hard to get to this point, and I just couldn’t be happier I get to be a part of this team, this whole thing.”

Hogan’s journey is surely one to remember. This is his first-ever appearance in the playoffs, and he’s off to an incredible start. But these accomplishments didn’t come overnight.

Hogan’s story is outlined in this Instagram post that shows his development over the years. He played four years of lacrosse at Penn State and one year of football at Monmouth. Then he went undrafted in the NFL and was cut by four teams.

Chris Hogan has played with a chip on his shoulder and like he’s got something to prove, all season long. That’s probably why he fits in so well with Tom Brady and the Patriots.

“He’s been incredible,” Brady said of his wide receiver’s performance this season, “He’s made big plays for us all season and he made big plays in the biggest game of the year for us.”

“It’s something that I’ll definitely remember for the rest of my career, and probably for the rest of my life,” Hogan said, “Someone told me that this was going to be a game that you’ll look back on 30 years for now and you’ll remember exactly what happened.”

Hogan is proud of his teammates and all of their accomplishments but still knows they’ve got one more thing to do.

“It’s a special moment for all of these guys in this locker room. We’ll enjoy this and get back to work because we’ve got one more.”

The New England Patriots will take on the Atlanta Falcons in Houston, Texas on Sunday, Feb. 5 for Super Bowl LI.

Follow Megan on Twitter:@carnahanmegan