Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins received a six-game suspension on Monday for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
According to the league, Hopkins tested positive for a prohibited substance plus a diuretic or masking agent. He will be eligible to participate in training camp and preseason practices and games, and he can return to regular-season competition for the Cardinals’ seventh game of the season.
Hopkins, 29, set career lows with 42 catches for 574 yards in his second season with the Cardinals in 2021. He did catch eight touchdown passes.
A three-time All-Pro and five-time Pro Bowl selection, Hopkins missed Arizona’s last four regular season games and the playoff loss due to a knee injury.
The Cardinals, who lost receiver Christian Kirk to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency, made a draft-day trade last week to acquire Baltimore Ravens wideout Marquise Brown.
Hopkins signed a two-year, $54.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals on Sept. 8, 2020. He carries a cap hit of $17.95 million in 2022 with a dead cap value of $33.8 million, per Spotrac.
He was acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans on March 16, 2020.
Hopkins has 789 catches for 10,581 yards and 68 touchdowns in 136 career games (all starts) with the Cardinals and the Texans (2013-19), who drafted him 27th overall in 2019.
–Field Level Media
