Issues between DeAndre Hopkins, Bill O'Brien led to trade?
The Houston Texans sent one of the best wide receivers in football to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday in a major blockbuster move.
Bill O'Brien sent DeAndre Hopkins and a fourth-round pick to the Cardinals in exchange for running back David Johnson, a 2020 second-round pick and a 2021 fourth-round pick. This is rather odd considering Hopkins has put up five 1,000-plus yard seasons in his seven-year career with the Texans.
The real question is why in the world would O'Brien send Hopkins to Arizona in exchange for packing peanuts?
Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver and current NFL Network analyst Michael Irvin may just have the answer after discussing the situation with Hopkins.
“(Hopkins) told me, Michael, it was a bit of a power struggle there because Coach O’Brien thought he had too much influence over the locker room,” Irvin said of his conversation with Hopkins on ESPN's "Get Up."
“In that meeting, he started the meeting with telling DeAndre Hopkins this, which blew my mind when DeAndre told me this, he told DeAndre Hopkins, he said, ‘Hey, the last time I had to have a meeting like this it was with Aaron Hernandez,’” Irvin said. “I was like, ‘What? He put in Aaron Hernandez in this meeting?’ He said, ‘Yes, he did.’ He said, ‘Michael, that blew my mind that he would even bring that up. I’ve never been in any trouble. I don’t know why he would equate me with Aaron Hernandez.’ And, from there, the meeting just deteriorated.”
The conflict between the two reportedly was much larger than a contract dispute, according to The Houston Chronicle's Aaron Wilson.
The 27-year-old has yet to discuss the trade, but we can only imagine that'll come soon after the news that he and O'Brien didn't have a great relationship.
The only time Hopkins has mentioned the trade was in a few social media posts — one thanking the Texans organization and another one expressing his excitement for the 2020 season.
Given the talent and production of Hopkins, the Texans may regret this trade once the regular season begins.
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