Arizona Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins slammed for Kyler Murray NFL quarterbacks list omission
DeAndre Hopkins made headlines recently for the quarterbacks he included on a list of those he'd like to catch passes from … and one notable quarterback he omitted.
The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, while appearing on the "I Am Athlete" podcast, listed the Buffalo Bills' Josh Allen, the Philadelphia Eagles' Jalen Hurts, the Kansas City Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes, the Baltimore Ravens' Lamar Jackson and the Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert as his Top 5.
Kyler Murray, his teammate on the Cardinals, did not make the cut.
More: Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins absent from voluntary off-season training session
DeAndre Hopkins was asked on @IAMATHLETEpod which QBs he'd love to have throwing him the ball. #Bills QB Josh Allen was quickly his first answer.
Jalen Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and Justin Herbert rounded out his top-5.pic.twitter.com/gtepzf9JD4— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 22, 2023
DeAndre Hopkins slammed for Kyler Murray omission
Hopkins' omission of Murray didn't sit well with some, who questioned why he would even answer the question in the first place, or wondered why he didn't just list Kyler Murray Nos. 1-5 in his answer, since Murray is, after all, the quarterback for the NFL team for which he is under contract.
Locked on NFL podcast host Ross Jackson said of Murray's omission from Hopkins' list: "I'm not afraid to say this, he's not on the top five list because he's not as good as the five guys [Hopkins] named.
Added host Luke Braun: "He shouldn't be on the top five list if it were objective, but it also shouldn't be objective."
Phoenix sports radio host Jody Oehler and others slammed Hopkins for his comments.
More: NFL's highest paid wide receivers for 2023 season: Ranking WRs by salary
.@radiojody has some choice words for #AZCardinals Wide Receiver @DeAndreHopkins for continuously flirting with other teams while still a member of the Cardinals. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/P9SGjizSCl
— Fox Sports 910 (@foxsports910) May 24, 2023
So much Talent, he's a #MeGuy not a #TeamGuy. 😢
— Dave Rasley (@JoeBear72) May 22, 2023
Doesn't sound good to me at all. Saw him on 3TV's Mark McClune's show tonight, and the dude does not sound very motivated right now. Just sayin'.
— Anti-SS Teenage Neighbor (@Anti_SS_69) May 23, 2023
He was kinetic when he played. Yet, there is a lot of baggage now & he clearly doesn’t want to be with us. Hold him until the league deadline for trades and hope some desperate team gives us a 3rd or 4th.
— Bill B (@RogerBl12732318) May 22, 2023
I’ve continued to operate as if there is a 0% chance DeAndre Hopkins is a Cardinal this season. I suggest you do the same. https://t.co/C9egQqnY5W
— Ben Cummins (@BenCumminsFF) May 24, 2023
So Deandre Hopkins doesn’t want to be an Arizona Cardinal… AGAIN…what’s new 😏#BirdGang
— The AZ sports fan! (@TheAZsportsfan1) May 22, 2023
Deandre Hopkins is again re-kindling trade rumors, this time on the @IAMATHLETEpod
Just another day in the life of being an Arizona Cardinals fan😂 pic.twitter.com/XH8uTUAPY9— Joanna Cards Fan (@cardsfanjoanna) May 22, 2023
What DeAndre Hopkins said about Kyler Murray
But while he didn't include Murray in his Top 5, Hopkins had some positive things to say about the quarterback on the podcast.
“I think people give him a tough time because he’s fiery,” Hopkins said. “The dude is a competitor, a real competitor. I’ve never seen anything like it, and I love it. That’s why he and I sometimes butt heads but it’s love.”
He continued: "Both of y’all want to win, both y’all want to compete and you’re mad as hell that you’re not getting the job done. So for me, that’s what it is.”
Hopkins added: “Tom Brady will go cuss out everybody on the sideline for whatever, that’s Tom Brady, But if Kyler does it, it’s the talking topic of everything. So I think for him, he’s misunderstood. He’s a competitor. The dude, like playing basketball, he wants to beat at shooting things in the trash can, ping pong, whatever, and for me, I love it. He’s misunderstood because he’s so competitive.”
More: Arizona Cardinals odds: NFL team listed as underdog for every game on 2023 NFL schedule
Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon, asked by @azbobbymac about absence of WR DeAndre Hopkins from voluntary workouts: pic.twitter.com/rtGjVTFvBg
— José M. Romero (@RomeroJoseM) May 22, 2023
Other comments from DeAndre Hopkins on podcast
Hopkins, however, probably didn't do himself any favors with some of his other comments on the podcast, laying out what he wanted in an NFL organization, and apparently what he doesn't like in Arizona.
“What I want is stable management upstairs," Hopkins said. "I think that’s something I haven’t really had the past couple years of my career coming from Houston and then to Arizona. I’ve been through three or four GMs in my career, so a stable management. A QB who loves the game, a QB who brings everybody on board with him and pushes not just himself but everybody around him. And a great defense. A great defense wins championships.”
More: Arizona Cardinals odds after NFL schedule release: How many wins for team in 2023 season?
More comments about Cardinals, Kyler Murray from DeAndre Hopkins
Hopkins wasn't done talking about the Cardinals and Kyler Murray.
"I think Kyler is a quarterback who loves the game as well," Hopkins said. "But he’s injured. So right now, for me, I’m playing with Colt McCoy, who I love. So who knows? Right now, I don’t have a Pro Bowl quarterback."
Right now, Hopkins, who has not appeared at the team's voluntary organized team activities this week while he has been mired in trade speculation, probably doesn't have a ton of fans in love with his comments about the team.
How much longer will he be on it?
More: Arizona Cardinals' 2023 NFL schedule: Team opens at Washington Commanders in Week 1
Despite the 'Who said I wanted to leave?' insta story a few weeks ago, it's clear DeAndre Hopkins wants to leave.
— Kyle Odegard (@Kyle_Odegard) May 22, 2023
Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals' DeAndre Hopkins slammed for Kyler Murray omission
