The Houston Texans agreed to a trade Monday that will send star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and a draft pick to the Arizona Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson and two more draft picks.
It’s a move that raised plenty of eyebrows. Why would the Texans deal a 27-year-old wide receiver who has been one of their most productive players and prominent stars over the past two seasons? Sure, Hopkins reportedly wanted to redo his contract, but he’s worth more than the $16.2 million per season he’s owed now.
Well, Michael Irvin has some interesting answers.
Michael Irvin on D-Hop and Bill O’Brien pic.twitter.com/SznkjAkEnk
— C.dot (@cbsmitty94) March 18, 2020
During an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wednesday morning, the former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver said Texans coach Bill O’Brien, the former Penn State coach who is also Houston’s general manager, compared Hopkins to the late Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end and convicted murderer.
Irvin said Hopkins told him there was a “power struggle” in Houston because O’Brien didn’t like the “influence” Hopkins had in the locker room. When the two had a meeting about it, O’Brien told Hopkins the last time he had a similar meeting was with Hernandez in New England, where O’Brien coached Hernandez in 2010 and 2011.
Irvin also said Hopkins told him in the meeting O’Brien didn’t like that Hopkins had the mothers of his children around the team.
Irvin then compared the Texans’ compensation in the trade for Hopkins to a ham sandwich.
“I can’t believe what I just heard,” ESPN’s Marcus Spears said in reaction to Irvin’s comments.
Hopkins has been one of the NFL’s top wide receivers in his career. In seven seasons, he has averaged 90 catches for 1,229 yards and eight touchdowns per season. He’s made the Pro Bowl four times and earned All-Pro honors three times. Combined with rising star quarterback Deshaun Watson, the Texans had a dynamic offensive combination.
O’Brien left the Patriots to take over at Penn State in 2012 before moving on to the Texans in 2014. Hopkins joined the Texans as a first-round pick in 2013.
Over the past year or so, O’Brien has consolidated power within the Texans organization, where he’s now the top decision-maker on football matters.
It appears he might have to answer for how he wields that power.
