NFC Notes: DeAndre Hopkins, Cardinals, Aaron Donald, Rams, Seahawks

Cardinals

Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins said he was surprised to be suspended for six games after violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy and plans to appeal the decision. 

“We’re still doing some research right now,” Hopkins said, via NFL.com. “Hopefully, before the season starts, maybe we can get the games down a little bit. But no, it wasn’t on me. I’m a natural. I’m pretty much a naturopathic kind of person, man. And what it was, it was called Ostarine, and there was 0.1% of it found in my system. If you know what that is, it’s contamination, not something directly taken.”

Hopkins reiterated that he doesn’t take any supplements and was shocked by testing positive for PEDs. 

“I don’t take any supplements, I’ve never took supplements, I barely take vitamins. So for something like that to happen to me, obviously, I was shocked. But my team and I, we’re still trying to figure out what’s going on.”

Rams

Rams HC Sean McVay said that he was unaware of Aaron Donald contemplating retirement until after their Super Bowl victory.

“I didn’t know about that until after the game, which is a good thing because I might’ve had a panic attack,” McVay said, via the Open Mike podcast. “Sometimes ignorance is bliss. He has earned the right to be able to get rewarded accordingly and having some really good ball ahead of him in a Rams uniform and when he decides he’s done, then I’ll be done, too. I’m kidding.”

Seahawks

Seahawks QB Russell Wilson “pushed hard” for the team to move on from former OC Brian Schottenheimer, according to an anonymous team source. 

“Don’t let his comments mask his real thoughts,” a source remarked via SI.com’s Corbin Smith. “He had grown tired of Schotty from a play-calling perspective and wanted something fresh. As much as he benefited from his coaching, he didn’t think the two could co-exist anymore in a football marriage.” 

• Seahawks DT Bryan Mone‘s two-year, $11,035,000 deal includes a $1.5 million signing bonus, base salaries of $2.285 million and $4.89 million in 2023 and 2024, and an annual $500,000 roster bonus. (OverTheCap)
• There’s $340,000 in per-game roster bonuses in 2022, and up to $510,000 in 2023 and 2024. Mone also $1.8 million available through playing time and sacks incentives.