Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins Joins Madden NFL 21 '99 Club' After Hail Mary Catch
November 19, 2020
EA Sports announced Thursday that Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been added to the Madden NFL 21 "99 Club" after his miraculous Hail Mary catch in the final seconds of Sunday's 32-30 victory over the Buffalo Bills.
Here's a look at the exclusive group he joined:
The well-deserved honor comes after one of the most memorable finishes in Cardinals franchise history.
Buffalo took the lead with 34 seconds remaining on a touchdown pass from Josh Allen to Stefon Diggs, which gave the Bills a four-point lead after the ensuing extra point and forced the Cards to go for a touchdown.
Arizona advanced the ball to the Buffalo 43-yard line with 11 seconds to go. Kyler Murray rolled out while being chased by three Bills defenders and heaved the ball toward Hopkins, who was surrounded by a trio of defensive backs in the end zone.
The 6'1'' three-time All-Pro selection rose above the crowd, and the rest is history:
Hopkins finished the contest with seven catches for 127 yards and that game-winning score to help the Cardinals improve their record to 6-3.
He ranks second in the NFL in both receptions (67) and receiving yards (861), trailing only Diggs in both categories, after the Houston Texans sent him to the desert in a March trade.
His addition to the 99 Club is just the latest honor in what's quickly becoming a tremendous first year in Arizona for the Clemson product.