Why did DeAndre Hopkins get 6-game ban? Cardinals star says NFL rules shouldn't be so 'black and white'
DeAndre Hopkins, wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the NFL, will be missing the first six games of the season for the Cardinals following a failed PED, that is, performance-enhancing drug test. The NFL player talked about his 6-game ban after a trace of a banned substance was found in his blood as he went on to call the League's policy to be "black and white."
Hopkins explains that the violation stands valid as 0.134 per cent Ostarine was found in his blood while the threshold is 0.100 per cent. Speaking to Arizona Sports after training camp practice, the 30-year-old All-Pro wide receiver said, "I’ve never taken any of that kind of stuff. If you know about what it is, it can be in shampoo, it can be in a lot of different things. Obviously, the NFL is very black and white, so of course, I wish the rule wasn’t so black and white." DeAndre Hopkins continued, "It is what it is. It’s hard to know when something gets contaminated at a trace amount when you’re not working at the manufacturing company."
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Hopkins embraces the 6-game ban
The wide receiver went on to explain that he never learned about the origins of the substance and that while he would have appreciated some more time to fight the suspension, he found it best to drop the appeal. He continued, "It’s hard to know what you can eat, what you can do when you’re not in control of manufacturing anything, or what goes through a conveyor belt, you know what I’m saying?” he said. “So, obviously, I do think that rules should change. But like I said, that stuff, it’ll work itself out, and I’ve never taken anything. I barely take vitamins."
As far as extra activities are considered, Hopkins can participate in pre-season games and show up at the training camp. Following the ban, he can join the team for the games after that. The NFL star was bagged by Arizona Cardinals in 2020 and is already a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro wide receiver. In his first season with the Cardinals, he played all 16 games and was selected to a Pro Bowl. His record boasts 115 catches for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns, but the player could only appear in 10 games in 2021 due to his injuries. Despite that, he managed to add 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns to his record.