Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins 'Shocked' by Failed Drug Test That Led to Suspension
May 3, 2022
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins said he was "confused and shocked" when he learned he tested positive for a banned substance.
The NFL announced Monday that Hopkins would be suspended for six games for violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy.
Hopkins then tweeted "see you Week 7" with a message explaining he was "working with my team to investigate how this could've happened."
"Even as careful as I have been, clearly I wasn't careful enough," he wrote. "For that, I apologize to Cardinals fans, my teammates, and the entire Cardinals organization. I never want to let my team down."
Hopkins' message echoed a statement his brand manager, Doug Sanders, released, saying, in part, "DeAndre and everyone who works with him is completely shocked by this finding because he is extremely diligent about what he puts in his body."
The statement said his team was testing different products in an effort to figure out what happened to lead to the positive test.
This is a massive loss for Arizona.
After all, Hopkins is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL as a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro selection with six seasons of more than 1,100 receiving yards. He also led the league with 13 touchdown catches in 2013 as a member of the Houston Texans.
The Clemson product missed time last season with injuries, which only served to underscore his value.
CBS Sports noted the Cardinals went 8-2 and averaged 30.2 points per game with Hopkins in the lineup and went 3-5 while averaging 19.8 points per game when he wasn't in the lineup.
Arizona can at least take solace knowing it traded for Marquise Brown during the draft. The former Baltimore Raven is coming off the first season of his career with more than 1,000 receiving yards, having tallied 91 catches for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns. He also was college teammates with Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray, so there is some familiarity in place.
Brown will be expected to assume a larger role to start the year with Hopkins suspended and Christian Kirk now on the Jacksonville Jaguars.