The NFL world was shocked last month when it was revealed that Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, which he ultimately received a six-game suspension for.
He released a statement back in May following news of the suspension, saying that he was “shocked and confused” about his positive test results and that he would provide more information regarding what he tested positive for when he had it.
It appears that he now has the answers that he was looking for, as he discussed his suspension on Wednesday with reporters prior to Phoenix Suns center Javale McGee’s charity softball game at Chase Field.
He revealed that he tested positive for a drug called ostarine and still claims that he took no supplements that could have spiked his levels of that substance.
“Hopefully before the season starts maybe we can get the games down a little bit,” Hopkins said. “It wasn’t on me. I’m pretty much a naturopathic person. What it was is it’s called ostarine. There was 0.1% found in my system. If you know what that is, you know it’s contamination — not something directly taken.”
“I don’t take any supplements, I’ve never taken supplements. I barely take vitamins. So for something like that to happen to me, obviously I was shocked but my team and I, we’re still trying to figure out what’s going on.”
Considering Hopkins withdrew his appeal to the suspension originally, it is unlikely that he will see any change in his suspension length moving forward.
That will mean that newly acquired wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown will likely be the top wide receiver for Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray to start next season, which could certainly affect the team’s success in 2022.
