In breaking news Monday afternoon, the NFL announced they have suspended Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins for six games for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. Adam Schefter confirmed the news via Twitter.
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
DeAndre Hopkins Suspended Six Games for Violating Performance Policy
This suspension of Hopkins by the league is a huge blow to the Cardinals hopes of starting the season strong in an already tough division. The announcement today, also helps to explain the recent acquisition of Hollywood Brown of the Baltimore Ravens this weekend at the NFL draft. Finally, it also puts a ton of pressure on head coach Kliff Kingsbury who is already on a short leash it seems by Arizona’s front office.
Hopkins has been one of the best wide receivers in the NFL since being drafted out of Clemson in 2013. His numbers are on a Hall of Fame pace with 10,581 yards receiving with 68 touchdowns in 136 career games. Even though Hopkins battled injury for the majority of 2021, this news comes as a huge surprise as he’s never been in trouble with the league in any capacity since entering it.
The Cardinals are now faced with a huge void on the production front at the wide receiver position. This is critical in an effort to score points against the likes of the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West. The Cardinals defense struggled mightily last season and the onus now falls on disgruntled quarterback, Kyler Murray to take more of a leadership role to elevate the Cardinals and their offense to start the 2022 season. If the team can weather the storm for the six games of the Hopkins suspension and rally around Murray, they just might prove to the NFL they’re for real and have found their franchise quarterback in the process.
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