Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins Suspended for Violating PED Policy, per Report

The five-time Pro Bowler stands to miss over one-third of the 2022 season if his suspension is upheld.

Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is being suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. 

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 29-year-old is coming off of a difficult 2021 season, in which he was hampered by injuries. After missing three weeks with a nagging hamstring issue, the five-time Pro Bowler sustained a torn MCL in Week 14 and missed the remainder of the year. He ended the campaign with career-lows in receptions (42) and receiving yards (572) while catching eight touchdowns in 10 games played.

In his two seasons with Arizona since being acquired from the Texans in 2020, Hopkins has hauled in 157 receptions for 1,979 yards and 14 touchdowns.

The Cardinals seemed to anticipate Hopkins’s suspension, adding wide receiver Marquise Brown in a draft-day trade with the Ravens. Brown will also help fill the gap left by Christian Kirk, who signed a four-year, $72 million deal with the Jaguars in free agency earlier this offseason.

Though Arizona led the NFC West and held the league’s best record for a period of time, the Cardinals lost five of its last six regular-season games in 2021. They finished the season with an 11–6 record, before losing to the Rams in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

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