DeAndre Hopkins Won't Need Surgery on Shoulder Injury Suffered vs. Colts

Houston Texans wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins suffered more than just a playoff exit during Saturday's AFC Wild Card Game against the Indianapolis Colts, but he will not need surgery on his shoulder injury.

According to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle, Hopkins said surgery won't be necessary on his Grade 3 AC sprain, although his arm was in a sling following the 21-7 loss to the division-rival Colts.

Despite this setback, durability has been a defining characteristic of Hopkins' career since the Texans selected him with the No. 27 overall pick in the 2013 draft. He has missed a total of one regular-season game in six years and played all 16 contests in 2018 on his way to a career-best 115 catches for 1,572 yards and 11 touchdowns.

However, the Colts limited him to just five catches for 37 yards in Saturday's contest and kept Houston's entire offense in relative check. Only Keke Coutee (11 catches for 110 yards and a score) found consistent success against Indianapolis' defense.

The injury contributed to Hopkins' pedestrian stat line, as Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com noted he was "essentially playing one-handed in the second half" after suffering the sprain in the first half.

While he played through it, he wasn't the same version of the three-time Pro Bowler who routinely shreds secondaries as one of the best playmakers in the entire NFL.

The silver lining for Hopkins is the fact the injury occurred at the end of the season, meaning he will have the entire offseason to recover while avoiding surgery.