Arizona Cardinals receiver DeAndre Hopkins spoke to the media for the primary time on Wednesday since the NFL handed him a six-game ban for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug coverage.
Hopkins has vowed to struggle the ban.
"We're nonetheless performing some analysis proper now," he mentioned earlier than a charity softball occasion in Phoenix. "Hopefully, earlier than the season begins, perhaps we are able to get the video games down somewhat bit. However no, it wasn't on me. I am a pure. I am just about a naturopathic type of particular person, man. And what it was, it was known as Ostarine, and there was 0.1% of it present in my system. If what that's, it is contamination, not one thing straight taken."
Based on the U.S. Anti-Doping Company, Ostarine is a selective androgen receptor modulator and is "not permitted for human use or consumption within the U.S., or in another nation."
"I do not take any dietary supplements," mentioned Hopkins. "I've by no means [taken] dietary supplements, I barely take nutritional vitamins. So for one thing like that to occur to me, clearly, I used to be shocked. However my workforce and I, we're nonetheless making an attempt to determine what is going on on."
Hopkins completed the 2021 season with 572 yards and a team-high eight touchdowns in 10 video games earlier than struggling a season-ending knee damage that required surgical procedure. He says he's on the mend.
"I have been good. Recovering, therapeutic," Hopkins added. "Sadly, [I've] acquired to overlook six video games. However , it's what it's. The workforce will probably be prepared, and I will be prepared once I'm up."
As of proper now, it doesn’t appear like his ban will probably be lifted so Hopkins will probably be compelled to assist his teammates from afar on sport day.
"I am a competitor so anytime I am not on the sphere, for me, it is irritating," he mentioned. "However that is the NFL. Subsequent man up. I've little question in these guys to win these six video games till I am prepared."
