What is the NFL's PED policy? DeAndre Hopkins suspended for violating league guidelines

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins has been suspended for six games for violating the NFL's Performance Enhancing Drug Policy. The Cardinals will now be without the 29-year-old for the first month and a half of the new league season due to the suspension.

An NFL spokesperson released a statement on the suspension of Hopkins:

"DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals has been suspended without pay for the first six games of the 2022 regular season for violating the NFL's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Hopkins is eligible to participate in all preseason practices and games. He will be allowed to return to the Cardinals' active roster following the team's sixth regular-season game."

According to the NFL’s PED Policy, using performance-enhancing drugs like exogenous testosterone, along with anabolic or androgenic steroids, is banned by every sanctioning body across the world. The league began testing its players in 1987 and then started to hand out suspensions back in 1989 if players violated this policy.

Due to the integrity of the game for most sporting codes, these are prohibited as not all players will use them and thus will be players with an unfair advantage over the rest of the competition.

Did the Cardinals know about Hopkins PED violation prior to the draft?

Arizona Cardinals v Cleveland Browns

The Cardinals produced perhaps the biggest surprise of the first-round of the NFL Draft as they traded a first-round pick to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for Marquise Brown.

Now with the news of Hopkins' violation, it gives us far more insight into the dealings of the Cardinals on draft night. Securing the services of Brown to appease the loss of the 29-year-old is certainly a smart move.

At the time of the trade, many were left wondering how on earth it could happen and why Arizona chose to add another star weapon around Kyler Murray. Well, now it has become just that little bit clearer.

Adding Brown will certainly help Arizona while the former Texans star is serving his six-game suspension. After a poor ending to the 2021 season, the Cardinals will be looking to improve on what looked like an incredible season.

Arizona started the year 7-0, before finishing with an 11-6 record and ultimately tumbled out of the postseason. They were defeated in the wildcard 34-11 by the eventual champions, the Los Angeles Rams.