Arizona Cardinals superstar wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was shockingly suspended by the NFL on Monday after reportedly violating the league's performance-enhancing drug policy, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Hopkins will serve a six-game suspension as the result of his violation of the league's policy.
Cardinals’ Pro-Bowl WR DeAndre Hopkins is being suspended six games for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug policy, league sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/hNGNX4Aegx
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 2, 2022
The shocking decision was handed down Monday afternoon and will surely be a big blow to the Cardinals at the onset of the 2022 NFL season. The team did just acquire Marquise Brown from the Baltimore Ravens to reunite the receiver with his former college teammate in Kyler Murray, but losing their clear top target on the offense is a huge loss.
Last season, Hopkins played in 10 games and had a down year in Arizona. He caught just 42 passes for 572 yards and 8 touchdowns, in what was his least productive season in the league. A knee injury slowed him down, forcing him to miss eight games throughout the season. It was the first time since 2017 that Hopkins didn't catch 100+ balls, and the first time since 2016 that he failed to top the 1,000 receiving yard threshold.
The Cardinals acquired Hopkins ahead of the 2020 season after he'd spent the first seven years of his career with the Houston Texans. In his first season with the Cardinals, Hopkins started all 16 games and made the Pro Bowl after recording 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and 6 touchdowns.
With Hopkins on the sideline and Christian Kirk now in Jacksonville, the Cardinals' aerial attack figures to look vastly different at the start of the year in 2022, at least until Hopkins is cleared to return to action.
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