Rumors have been circulating for weeks that wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and the Arizona Cardinals could part ways. Now the NFL franchise has confirmed it.
The Arizona Cardinals have fired former All-Pro star DeAndre Hopkins. The decision was made by general manager Monti Ossenfort with a view to realigning the roster, the Cardinals said in a statement. Hopkins charged the squad $30 million in payroll costs – too much for the Arizona franchise.
As the Cardinals further announced, all attempts in the past few weeks to trade Hopkins to another team had been unsuccessful. The last resort was the dismissal of the 30-year-old. “Hopkins has never said publicly that he wants to leave. But he has also never said that he wants to stay,” the press release also says.
DeAndre Hopkins was recently asked about his ideas for the future. “What I want is stable management – something I haven’t really had in the last few years of my career. I want a quarterback who loves the game. One who brings everyone on board, not just himself, but everyone around him. And great defense,” the star receiver replied. Wishes that ultimately seemed impossible and unwilling to be fulfilled for him in Arizona.
Hopkins came to Glendale in 2020 from the Houston Texans, who drafted him in 2013. The wide receiver was repeatedly thrown back by injuries during his time in Arizona. In 2022, he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, resulting in a suspension for the first six games of the season.
After Hopkins’ departure, Hollywood Brown is now the Cardinals’ top receiver. Rondale Moore, Zach Pascal, Greg Dortch and third-round pick Michael Wilson are among the other options in head coach Jonathan Gannon’s roster.