DeAndre Hopkins

At 32 years old, DeAndre Hopkins has this physical status:

DeAndre Rashaun Hopkins (born June 6, 1992) is an American football wide receiver for the Houston Texans in the National Football League (NFL).

In the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft, he was drafted by the Texans.

He played college football at Clemson.

Early years

Since his mother gave him the name Nuk, Hopkins was often chewed through NUK pacifiers. It's pronounced "nuke" (although the pacifier brand is actually called "nook").

Hopkins played football, basketball, and running track and field for the Lions athletic teams at D. W. Daniel High School in Central, South Carolina. Hopkins had 57 receptions for 1,266 yards and 18 touchdowns on offense, as well as 28 interceptions and five touchdowns on defense. He served as both a shooting guard and point guard on the basketball team, scoring 1,453 points in his career. The Lions defeated their third South Carolina State Championship, and Hopkins was named as the year's Best Player of the Year by the Independent Mail. He was voted the 12th best wide receiver in the country and the State of South Carolina. ESPN ranked him as the 29th best athlete in various polls from respected sports organizations, with ESPN naming him as the 29th best celebrity. He was voted first-team from the state and The Charlotte Observer.

Personal life

Hopkins was raised by his single mother, Sabrina Greenlee, with whom he has a close relationship. He owes her his success. She worked in two factories throughout his childhood and was a passenger.

Greenlee was thrown with lye and bleach by Savannah Grant, age 24, in July 2002. Greenlee found her boyfriend having an affair with Grant. The skin was fading off her neck, face, and back as a result of the assault. Her boyfriend picked her up, parked her in his sedan, and dropped her off at a nearby gas station. The gas station attendant called 911 and was rushed to a hospital and then flown to Augusta, Georgia, where she was put in a medically induced coma for three weeks and had skin grafts applied to her face. Greenlee's body was burned for more than a quarter of her body. Her attacker was charged with assault and battery with the intention of murder, and she was sentenced to 20 years in prison. She has been in prison since 2003. As a result of this attack, Hopkins' mother was left completely blind.

When DeAndre was five months old, Hopkins' father, Harris Steve Hopkins, was killed in a car accident on the I-85, leaving his mother to care for him and his three children. DeAndre's parents were returning from visiting family in Atlanta in November 1992 when they collided. After making a turn and turning three times before striking a guardrail on the driver's side, the elder Hopkins' Ford Mustang GTS hydroplaned on the rain-soaked road. Although DeAndre's mother recovered from minor injuries and a concussion, the elder Hopkins succumbed to his injuries eight days later. Harris Hopkins was 25 years old at the time of his death.

Terry Smith, Hopkins' uncle on his mother's side, was undrafted at Clemson and went undrafted before embarking on the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad from 1995-1996. He was suspended from playing due to knee injuries that ended his career. Smith was shot and killed in 1997 by Atlanta police after breaking into his estranged wife's home and stabbing her. After Smith defied numerous orders, police opened fire. Smith's behavior had changed in the months leading up to his death, according to close friends and former coworkers. Smith played for Clemson from 1990-1993 and finished his undergraduate career as the all-time leader in catches (162) and receiving yards (2,681). In the 1993 Peach Bowl, he was named the Tigers' MVP for the second time and was known for his game-winning touchdown against Kentucky with seconds remaining.

Russell Smith, another uncle on his mother's side, died before DeAndre was born at age 12 in 1985. Russell died in a car driven by his newlywed uncle when it turned over, despite Russell's appearance in the open sunroof. The car's driver, his uncle, and other passengers survived.

Hopkins also has three siblings, two sisters, and one brother. Kesha and Marcus' two older siblings are from his mother's previous marriage. Kesha Smith, his older sister, is a Southern Wesleyan University undergraduate. In 2014, she moved to Houston, Texas, where she is a basketball coach and a slot receiver for the Houston Energy of the Independent Women's Football League. Shanterria Cobb, his younger sister, had signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Texas Southern University in the spring of 2016. At D.W. Daniel High School, she was a three-time all-region selection in basketball. Marcus Greenlee, his older brother, played football and basketball in high school and briefly attended Georgia Military College.

Hopkins is a Christian. He grew up going to church with his mother and was baptized in 2012, just one day after Clemson's practice began. “My faith is a big, important thing for me,” Hopkins said. “No matter how difficult life can be, you will never give up.” Just work hard, live properly, and have faith in the Lord."

During his time at Clemson, Hopkins was involved in community recreation and sport & camp management. He also runs a SMOOOTH Back-to-school giveaway that provides book bags and school supplies for over 2,500 children. SMOOOTH stands for Speaking Mentally Outwardly Opening Opportunities Towards Healing. Hopkins pioneered "DeAndre's Hop Box" in 2021, bringing Hopkins' cereal business into the cereal market. The SMOOOTH Foundation received a share of the cereal's proceeds.

As a boy, Hopkins idolized Javis Austin, who also played for Clemson. Austin, whose brother died five years earlier during a pickup basketball game, attempted suicide after falling Clemson's depth chart. He attempted suicide by firing himself in the chest with a.380 calibre pistol. Austin survived, but the gunshot left his right eye and fractured his left, effectively ending his football career. He now works as a special educator at an elementary school in Clemson, South Carolina.

Hopkins collaborated with Beyond Meat in March 2020. The partnership began with the pledge of to give and distribute more than 100,000 Beyond Burgers throughout the United States to homeless individuals in needy areas.

Hopkins embroidered the name of Denmark Vesey on his helmet in 2021, in honor of the alleged mastermind of a thwarted 1822 slave revolt in South Carolina. Hopkins chose Vesey due to their South Carolina roots, to honor Vesey's sacrifice for equality, and to draw attention to a past that is seldom taught.

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College career

Hopkins enrolled in Clemson University, where he competed for the Clemson Tigers' football team from 2010 to 2012 under head coach Dabo Swinney.

As a freshman in the Clemson offense in the 6–7 season, Hopkins immediately became a big contributor to the offense. In a 35–10 victory over North Texas on September 24, Hopkins began his collegiate career with two receptions for 23 receiving yards. In the 58–21 victory over Winston Reid, he scored his first collegiate receiving touchdown on a nine-yard reception from Tajh Boyd. He had eight receptions for 106 yards on November 13, his first appearance in a road 16–13 loss to Florida State. In the 29–7 loss, he had seven receptions for 124 yards and a receiving touchdown. In the 2010 Meineke Car Care Bowl against South Florida, he had nine receptions for 105 yards, bringing an end to his freshman season. With 52 receptions for 637 receiving yards and four touchdowns, Hopkins was Clemson's top receiver with 52 receptions for 637 yards and four touchdowns. In addition, he played basketball after his freshman season. He appeared in seven games for the Tigers basketball team in the 2010–11 season.

With a 10–4 record, Clemson took a major leap forward in Hopkins' sophomore year. In two games against Troy and Wofford, Hopkins began the 2011 season with nine receptions for 108 yards and a receiving touchdown. In the 38–24 victory over Auburn on September 17, Hopkins had seven receptions for 83 yards and a receiving touchdown. In the 59–38 victory over North Carolina on October 22, he had nine receptions for 157 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. In the 37–13 loss, he had five receptions for 124 receiving yards against NC State. In the 38–10 victory over Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship, he had seven receptions for 92 yards. In the 2012 Orange Bowl, he had 10 receptions for 107 receiving yards and a touchdown. He had 72 receptions for 978 receiving yards and five receiving touchdowns as a freshman in 2011. Sammy Watkins finished second on the team in the major receiving categories.

Hopkins led the Tigers to their first 11-win season since 1981 in his junior year. In a 26-19 victory over Auburn in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, Hopkins started the 2012 season off right with 13 receptions for 119 receiving yards and a touchdown. Hopkins had the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter despite Clemson's trailing in the fourth quarter. In a 52-27 victory over Ball State, he had six receptions for 105 receiving yards and three touchdowns. The three touchdowns in the second quarter were all a team record for touchdowns in a quarter. This was Hopkins' third straight games with 100 receiving yards, tying a school record. The 45-31 victory over Boston College on September 29, with 11 receptions for 197 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown. In a 47–31 victory over Georgia Tech, he had seven receptions for 173 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns. In the 56-20 victory, he had four receptions for 128 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Hopkins scored all three touchdowns in one quarter in his previous three-touchdown game against Ball State, with this one being the first quarter. In each of the last three games against Maryland, North Carolina State, and South Carolina, he came out with one touchdown in each of the regular season. In the 25–24 victory, he had 13 receptions for 191 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against LSU. Hopkins' touchdown came with less than three minutes remaining and put Clemson down 2. Chandler Catanzaro's 37-yard field goal gave the game to Clemson. Hopkins had one of the best receiving seasons in ACC history in 2012, with a record-breaking 1,405 yards on 82 passes and a school-record 18 touchdowns earning First-Team All-Conference honors in his junior season. Hopkins, along with junior quarterback Tajh Boyd and wide receiver Sammy Watkins, made one of the most prolific passing offenses in college football and broke several individual and career school records. In each of the last ten games of the season, he scored a touchdown, doubling the previous school record for consecutive games without a score. Hopkins was fired from Clemson with a career record for receiving yards (3,020) and career touchdown receptions (27). Aaron Kelly's 206 career receptions were the most by a Clemson receiver since he had 232 from 2005–2008. Hopkins decided against spending his senior years at Clemson and enroll in the NFL Draft on January 10, 2013.

Professional career

Hopkins, who was drafted out of Clemson, was regarded as a top prospect and was given an invite to the NFL combine. He completed almost all of the combine drills, but he was unable to finish the three-cone drill due to an apparent calf injury. According to ESPN, Hopkins' hotel room was discovered in a state where "urine and feces were discovered around the bathroom, toothpaste was left on the mirror, and partially digested food was on one of the beds." Both players denied responsibility.

He was on March 7, 2013 in Clemson's pro day. Hopkins played with the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, and the New England Patriots, as well as two with the St. Louis Rams.

Hopkins was expected to be a first or second round pick by NFL draft specialists and scouts at the end of the predraft process. Josh Norris, the fourth best wide receiver by Sports Illustrated, was ranked as the third best wide receiver by NFLDraftScout.com and NFL analyst Mike Mayock, and fifth best wide receiver by NFLDraftScout.com and NFL analyst Mike Mayock.

With the 27th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft, the Houston Texans selected Hopkins in the first round. He was the second wide receiver selected, behind Tavon Austin (St. Louis Rams, eighth overall). Hopkins was the second wide receiver to be drafted in the first round in franchise history, the first being Andre Johnson, who was drafted third overall in 2003. It was also the second time in ten years that the Texans selected an offensive player (the other selection was left tackle Duane Brown) in the first round. Rod Gardner, the highest wide receiver out of Clemson since he was ranked 15th overall in 2001. Hopkins agreed to a four-year, $7.62 million deal with the club on July 24, 2013. The first three years of the contract were largely guaranteed.

In the 31–28 victory, Hopkins made his NFL debut against the San Diego Chargers in his season opener and made five receptions for 55 yards, a game in which the Texans trailed 28–7. Matt Schaub's first NFL reception came on a pass for no gain in the second quarter. In the Texans' 30-24 overtime victory over the Tennessee Titans on September 15, Hopkins had a season-high seven passes for 117 receiving yards and scored his first career touchdown reception on a three-yard pass from quarterback Matt Schaub. It was Hopkins' first game with over one hundred receiving yards. In September, Hopkins was named NFL Rookie of the Month for the Month. During a 16-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, he caught three passes for 76 yards and scored a touchdown on a 29-yard pass from Case Keenum. After the Houston Texans posted a 2–11 record on December 2, 2013, head coach Gary Kubiak was fired. Hopkins made 52 receptions for 822 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the 2013 season. Matt Schaub's inconsistent quarterback play resulted in Schaub's suspension after nine interceptions in five games. Hopkins was named to the NFL All-Rookie Team for the 2013 season.

Hopkins made his debut as a starting wide receiver under new head coach Bill O'Brien's new head coach Bill O'Brien to start the 2014 season.

Hopkins was able to win by 17–6 over the Washington Redskins and had four passes for 89 yards and scored a new career-long touchdown on a pass by quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. During a 30–14 win over the New York Giants, he had six receptions for 116 yards. Hopkins had a spectacular one-handed 53-yard field touchdown that was negated by a playable formation foul in the game. Hopkins made six receptions for 108 receiving yards in a 23-31 loss during a Week 7 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Texans defeated the Tennessee Titans 45-21 in Week 13, with Hopkins passing for a season-high 938 receiving yards and two touchdowns on November 30, 2014. In 2014, Hopkins was the Texans' top receiver, throwing 76 receptions for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns in 16 games and 16 starts.

Since veteran Andre Johnson left the Indianapolis Colts in free agency, Hopkins was solidified as the Texans' number one receiver to begin the 2015 season.

In the Texans' season-opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, Hopkins started with nine passes for 98 yards and two touchdowns. In a 19-9 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he played his first 100-yard receiving game of the season. He had eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown. In a 48-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, Hopkins boosted his output the following week, receiving nine receptions for 157 yards. He had 10 receptions for 142 yards and two touchdowns against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Week 6, earning his first AFC Offensive Player of the Week award. Hopkins set a new franchise record for most touchdown receptions in a season against the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 — his tenth score on the Texans. His production increased to 192 targets in the 2015 season, ranking third among NFL wide receivers, after only Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons.

Despite playing with four different quarterbacks (Brian Hoyer, Ryan Mallett, T. J. Yates, and Brandon Weeden), Hopkins finished the 2015 season with then-career highs in receptions (111), receiving yards (1,521), and touchdowns (11). He received his first Pro Bowl nomination and was named second-team All-Pro for his second season. He was also ranked 19th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016.

After he announced that he was waiting for a new deal, Hopkins did not attend training camp on July 30, 2016.

Hopkins was fined $6,076 for an equipment infringement concerning improper cleats on his shoes on September 15, 2016. The cleats were confirmed to be Kanye West's Yeezy 350 Boosts cleats. Hopkins suffered with some modest decline in the 2016 season as the quarterback's play of Brock Osweiler lacked positive consistency. With a 9-7 record, the Texans finished at the top of the AFC South. They continued to fail in the Divisional Round of the 2016–17 NFL playoffs to the New England Patriots, who then went on to win the Super Bowl.

In the 2016 season, Hopkins had 78 receptions for 954 yards and four touchdowns, his lowest figure since his rookie season in 2013.

The Houston Texans signed Hopkins to a five-year, $81 million contract extension with $49 million as a result and a signing bonus of $7.5 million.

Hopkins made his first NFL touchdown pass of quarterback and fellow Clemson Tiger Deshaun Watson during the Jacksonville Jaguars' season-opening 28–7 loss. He had seven receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. Hopkins had eight receptions for 224 receiving yards, led by a 72-yard touchdown during Week 8 against the Seattle Seahawks. However, his performance was overshadowed when the Texans lost on the road by a score of 38–41. Hopkins was named to his second Pro Bowl on December 19, 2017. Due to a calf injury, Hopkins did not participate in Week 17.

Hopkins had 96 receptions for 1,378 yards and a season-best 13 touchdowns in 2017. With 78 points, he led the league in scoring among wide receivers. He was named as a First-Team All-Pro for the 2017 season and ranked 13th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

In a 20–17 road loss to the Tennessee Titans, Hopkins had six catches for 110 yards and a touchdown on Week 2. In the 37–34 overtime victory over the Indianapolis Colts, he had 10 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown. He had nine receptions for 151 yards, including a crucial 49 yard catch-and-run in overtime to help set up the game-winning field goal.

Hopkins finished the 2018 season with a career-high 115 receptions for a career-high 1,572 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. He came in third in receptions and second in receiving yards. He was named to his third Pro Bowl and his second straight First-Team All-Pro. The Texans won the AFC South with an 11–5 record and were ranked third in the AFC Playoffs. In the Wild Card Round against the Indianapolis Colts, he had a torn ligament in his arm and left five receptions for 37 yards in the 21-7 loss. He was ranked 11th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2019.

In the narrow 30–28 road loss, Hopkins had eight receptions for 111 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night Football. In a 16–10 loss, three weeks later against the Carolina Panthers, he caught five passes for 41 touchdowns and threw an interception. Hopkins had nine touchdowns and a receiving touchdown in Week 7 against the Indianapolis Colts, during the 30–23 road loss. Hopkins completed the 27-24 victory with a season-high 11 passes for 109 receiving yards in his next game against the Oakland Raiders. Hopkins made six catches for 94 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in the 20-17 victory over Week 12 against the Colts on Thursday Night Football. During the 28–22 victory over quarterback Deshaun Watson, he caught five passes for 64 yards and to quarterback Deshaun Watson on Sunday Night Football. During the 38–24 loss, Hopkins passed for 120 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Denver Broncos' game the next week. In the 24–21 road victory over the Tennessee Titans, he had six receptions for 119 yards. Due to an illness, Hopkins did not participate in Week 17.

Hopkins had 104 receptions for 1,165 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in the 2019 season. He was ranked eighth by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020.

With a 10–6 record and qualifying for the playoffs, the Texans finished atop the AFC South with a 10–6 record and qualified for the playoffs. Hopkins had six receptions for 90 receiving yards and a pivotal two-point conversion in a 22-19 overtime victory over the Buffalo Bills in the Wild Card Round. The Texans went up 19-16 in regulation as a result of the two-point conversion. Hopkins had a crucial first down early in overtime on the Texans' last drive to set in motion the eventual game-winning field goal. During the 51-31 road loss, he caught nine passes for 118 receiving yards in the Divisional Round against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Texans traded Hopkins and a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick, and a 2021 fourth-round pick. The Texans' reception to the trade was highly critical of the Texans, as well as Bill O'Brien, the Texans' head coach at the time, with several sportswriters naming it one of the worst of all time from their perspective, while the Texans' "robbing" the Texans.

Hopkins also agreed to a two-year, $54.5 million contract extension with the Cardinals on September 8, 2020.

Hopkins made his Cardinal debut against the San Francisco 49ers on September 13, 2020, totaling a career-high 14 receptions for 151 yards in the 24-20 victory. During Week 2 against the Washington Football Team, Hopkins passed for 68 yards and his first receiving touchdown as a Cardinal. In Week 3, he had ten receptions for 137 receiving yards. During the 30-10 win over the New York Jets in Week 5, Hopkins caught six yards for 131 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown reception. During Sunday Night Football, Hopkins had ten catches for 103 yards and a touchdown against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, winning by a score of 37-34. Hopkins had seven receptions for 127 yards and the game-winning touchdown on a 43-yard Hail Mary pass thrown by Kyler Murray with just one second left in Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, which would later be referred to as Hail Murray. Hopkins was able to field the touchdown after being tackled by three defenders. For his play, Hopkins was named as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

During the 28-21 loss to Seattle, Hopkins became the youngest player to reach 700 catches, a record that was held by his teammate, Larry Fitzgerald. During Week 14 against the New York Giants, Hopkins had nine receptions for 136 yards. During the 33-26 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, Hopkins had nine catches for 169 yards and a touchdown. Hopkins, a receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, went over 10,000 yards for his career in Week 17. He became the youngest NFL player to reach that record. Hopkins had 115 receptions for 1,407 receiving yards and six touchdowns on the season, leading off the season with 115 receptions for 1,407 yards and six receiving touchdowns. His 115 receptions set a new franchise record for a single season, defeating Larry Fitzgerald's record in 2015 and 2017. He was ranked 8th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2021. He was selected to his fifth Pro Bowl appearance.

In the 38–13 win over the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, Hopkins had six receptions for 83 yards and two touchdowns. Hopkins won by seven passes for 53 yards and a touchdown in the 31–5 victory in the eighth straight loss and a perfect 7–0 record on October 24, during a Week 7 game against his former team, the Texans. Hopkins missed the next three weeks due to a hamstring injury sustained in Thursday Night Football's 24-21 loss to the Green Bay Packers. In Week 14, he sustained a torn MCL and was put on injured reserve, and was placed on injured reserve on December 18. Through ten games, he had 42 catches for 572 yards and eight touchdowns on the season.

Hopkins will be suspended for the first six games of the season on May 2, 2022, in breach of the league's performance-enhancing drugs policy.

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