NFLPA denies NFL Network report that DeAndre Hopkins used a masking agent

Hopkins is suspended for the first six games of the season

Tony Crumpton · Assoc. Editor · Thursday, July 21 2022

An NFL Network report recently stated that Arizona Cardinals star receiver DeAndre Hopkins ingested a banned substance and took a masking agent to cover it up.

However, that appears not to be true.

The NFLPA refuted the claim as they released a statement on Tuesday saying that the 'masking agent' report was false.

“On May 2, 2022, the NFL Network reported that DeAndre Hopkins’ suspension came after producing a positive test result for a ‘prohibited substance plus a diuretic or masking agent/attempt to substitute, dilute or adulterate a specimen/attempt to manipulate a test result,'” the union said in a statement. “This reporting was incorrect as Hopkins never tested positive for any diuretic or masking agent and there was absolutely no evidence of any attempt to substitute, dilute, or adulterate any specimen or any attempt to manipulate a test. Pursuant to the 2022 Policy, his discipline is consistent with producing a positive test result for a prohibited substance.”

After the statement was released, NFL Network took down all references to a 'masking agent' in their original story.

NFL NETWORK CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story included an erroneous description of the test result that led to Hopkins' suspension. Language from the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances on the circumstances in which a first-time violation would result in an eight-game suspension was incorrectly applied to Hopkins' six-game suspension. That description has been removed."