DeAndre Hopkins won’t make his first regular season start until week 7, playing against the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football.
The Cardinals receiver will be sidelined due to a six-game ban. In addition to the disqualification, Hopkins is returning from a knee injury that interrupted his season last year.
“I’ve been through worse things in my life than having to miss six games,” Hopkins said. Saturday “For me, mentally, I feel like I’ve been prepared for moments like this all my life.”
The stellar receiver was suspended for violating the NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy. A test result last November showed traces of a banned substance called Ostarine.
In a charity softball game over the summer, Hopkins revealed that he takes a naturalistic approach to what he puts into his body, adding that he doesn’t take supplements and barely takes vitamins. He reiterated those claims while speaking to the media after Saturday after rehearsal.
Hopkins said despite his suspension he does not intend to change his routine.
“If you know what it is [Ostarine] that is, it can be in the 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 in traces when you’re not working at the manufacturing company. “
When the suspension was issued in May, Hopkins said he and his team would find what caused the substance to be discovered in his system.
After Saturday’s free practice, Hopkins revealed that because his training regimen is so simple, his personal team managed to conclude that it wasn’t something he had intentionally taken. Hopkins said a further explanation could come at a later date.
An initial report from the 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 that there was no evidence that it was a masking agent. The NFL network has updated and corrected its report.
Hopkins says 0.134% was found in his system. The six-week suspension for such a small track opens a critique of NFL drug policy and discussion of a possible rule change.
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“I 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.
To be ready once he returns, Hopkins said he will try to mimic the team’s trainings as he prepares himself.
When it comes to game days, some players can’t stand watching their team on television. But Hopkins said he will watch Cardinals games to provide advice to his teammates when he returns.
“I’ve got to watch it because I’m coming back and helping out once I can,” Hopkins said. “I still want to be able to help those kids and give them advice when they ask.”
In last season’s week 14 game against the Los Angeles Rams, Hopkins got injured at the MCL causing his season to end and months of rehab followed. He’s back in training and looks like he’s normal, but the Cardinals are choosing to play smart with a receiver that won’t play for nearly two months once the suspension starts on August 30th.
“I had to adapt because I have never had an injury like this. . . I don’t think I’ve ever missed so many games in an NFL season, “said Hopkins.” It’s been tough, but I’ve had people who gave me good advice, who have dealt with this injury before. “
It’s not a normal course for Hopkins, who is ultra competitive and ready to play every single play. Coach Kliff Kingsbury said he sometimes has to protect Hopkins from Hopkins. But the receiver said he thinks he can be patient.
“It’s different because I know I’m not going to play right away, so I don’t want to go out and burn my load and when week 1 comes, I’ll be dead,” Hopkins said. “It’s a disadvantage of course, but at the same time we can turn it into an advantage.”
While Hopkins is away, the Cardinals will have Marquise Brown, AJ Green, Rondale Moore and Antoine Wesley to keep the fort in check. Brown, the team’s new receiver who was acquired just days before Hopkins’ suspension, is an exciting player to help lead the team while Hopkins is away.
“Having someone like that to help those guys is going to be great for us,” Hopkins said.