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Arizona Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins tweeted — then deleted — that he’s questioning his future in response to the new NFL rule that teams will be forced to forfeit games due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Earlier Thursday, the NFL sent a memo to every team that the league will not postpone or reschedule games in the 2021 season should a team have too many unvaccinated players unavailable due to COVID-19.



Teams with an outbreak would instead have to forfeit and players on both teams would not receive a game check since the game wasn’t played. That was also the case last season, except the league was able to get every postponed game rescheduled.

DeAndre Hopkins Wary Of Vaccine

Hopkins reacted.

“Never thought I would say this, but being put in a position to hurt my team because I don’t want to partake in the vaccine is making me question my future in the NFL,” he tweeted before deleting.

DeAndre Hopkins with a big statement on today’s news… pic.twitter.com/YSt4uG8NUe

— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) July 22, 2021

Hopkins later responded to a tweet from Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, saying “when you stand for something they hate you!” Ramsey tweeted that he wouldn’t put any pressure on a player who doesn’t get the COVID-19 vaccine.

… @jalenramsey My girlfriend brother in the military got the vaccine and had heart problems right after. When you stand for something they hate you! https://t.co/AQD3nBPod3

— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) July 22, 2021

Hopkins is far from the only Cardinals player to not get vaccinated; the team is one of four that has not passed the 50 percent threshold for player vaccinations. The NFL and NFLPA have agreed on protocols that put restrictions on players who choose not to get vaccinated.

There is no mandate, however.

Hopkins, a three-time first-team All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, would owe the Cardinals $22 million in unearned signing bonus money if he retired.

–Field Level Media (@FieldLevelMedia)