DeAndre Hopkins speaks out on NFL PED testing

DeAndre Hopkins will miss the Arizona Cardinals’ first six regular season games due to a failed drug test.

Hopkins said on Saturday he didn’t think he should have been disciplined because only a trace of the banned substance Ostarine was found in his blood.

“I’ve never taken this stuff,” the All-Pro wide receiver said in training camp, via Arizona Sports. “If you know what it is, it can be in the 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 weren’t not so black and white. That’s how it is.

“It’s hard to tell when something is trace-contaminated when you’re not working in the manufacturing business.”

Hopkins said he never found where the contaminant came from and added that he would have liked more time to fight the suspension. He ended up dropping the call.

“It’s hard to know what you can eat, what you can do when you don’t control the making of anything or what goes through a conveyor belt, you know what I mean?” he said. “So obviously I think the rules should change. But like I said, this stuff, it’s going to work out, and I never took anything. I barely take any vitamins.

Hopkins is cleared to play in preseason games and attend training camp. He can return to the team’s active roster after the sixth game of his suspension.

Hopkins is a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro Wide Receiver. He is set to enter his third season with the Cardinals after Arizona acquired him in a blockbuster 2020 trade from the Houston Texans.

Since then, he has been one of Kyler Murray’s top targets. He played all 16 games in his first season with Arizona and was selected for a Pro Bowl. He had 115 catches for 1,407 yards and six touchdowns. He has only managed to play 10 games in 2021 due to injuries. He had 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns.