Hopkins on Suspension: I’ve Been Through Worse Things in Life'
DeAndre Hopkins won’t make his first regular-season start until Week 7, in a game against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football.
The Cardinals receiver will be sidelined due to a six-game suspension. In addition to the suspension, Hopkins is returning from a knee injury that ended his season last year.
“I’ve been through worse things in life than having to sit out six games,” Hopkins said. Saturday “For me, mentally, I feel like I’ve been prepared for moments like this my whole life.”
The star receiver was suspended for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. A test result last November showed traces of a prohibited substance called Ostarine.
In a charity softball game during the summer, Hopkins revealed that he takes a naturalistic approach to what he puts in his body, adding that he doesn’t take supplements and barely takes vitamins. He reiterated those claims whuile talking to the media after Saturday after practice.
Hopkins said that despite his suspension he doesn’t intend to change his routine.
“If you know what it [Ostarine] is, it can be in shampoo, it can be in a lot of different things,” Hopkins said. “ But I don’t think I would change anything. It’s hard to know when something gets contaminated at a trace amount when you’re not working at the manufacturing company.”
When the suspension was handed down in May, Hopkins said he and his team would find what caused the substance to be found in his system.
After Saturday's camp practice, Hopkins revealed that because his training regimen is so simple, his personal team was able to conclude it wasn’t anything he intentionally took. Hopkins said a further explanation could come at a later time.
An initial report by NFL Network claimed that the substance found in his system was used as a masking agent to manipulate the drug test. The NFLPA released a statement revealing there was no evidence that it was a masking agent. The NFL Network updated and corrected its report.
Hopkins claims that 0.134% was found in his system. The six-week suspension for such a small trace opens up a critique on the NFL's drug policy and discussion of a possible rule change.
“I do think it should change. I think it’s hard to know what you can eat, what you can do,” Hopkins said.
Hopkins withdrew his appeal shortly after his suspension and will have to train away from the Cardinals facility during the suspension.
In order to be ready once he returns, Hopkins said he will try and mimic the team's practices while he prepares by himself.
When it comes to game days, some players can’t stand to watch their team on television. But Hopkins said he will watch the Cardinals games in order to provide advice to his teammates when he returns.
“I got to watch it because I’m coming back and helping once I can,” Hopkins said. “ I still want to be able to help those guys out and give them advice when they ask for it.”
In last season's Week 14 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams, Hopkins injured his MCL causing his season to end and followed by months of rehab. He is back at practice and looking like his normal self, but the Cardinals are choosing to play it smart with a receiver who won’t play for almost two months once the suspension begins on Aug. 30.
“I had to adjust because I’ve never had an injury like this . . . I don’t think I’ve ever sat out that many games in an NFL season,” Hopkins said. “ It was tough, but I had people who gave me good advice, who have dealt with this injury before.”
It’s not a normal camp for Hopkins who is ultra competitive and is ready to ball every single play. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury said he has to sometimes protect Hopkins from Hopkins. But the receiver said he believes he can be patient.
“It’s different because I know I won’t be playing right away so I don’t want to go out and burn my load and when Week 1 comes, I’m dead,” Hopkins said. “It’s a disadvantage obviously, but at the same time we can turn it into an advantage.”
While Hopkins is away, the Cardinals will have Marquise Brown, A.J. Green, Rondale Moore and Antoine Wesley to hold down the fort. Brown, the team's newest receiver who was acquired a few days before Hopkins was suspended, is an exciting player to help carry the team while Hopkins is gone.
“Having someone like that to help those guys out, it will be big for us,” Hopkins said.
