Tag: Bill O’Brien

Did DeAndre Hopkins share with Michael Irvin the real reasons the Texans traded him?

Michael Irvin shared his conversation on ESPN’s “Get Up” about DeAndre Hopkins’ meeting with Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien.

There is no doubt that something occurred behind the scenes to fray DeAndre Hopkins’ relationship with the Houston Texans. Why else would the AFC South club trade its three-time All-Pro receiver in the prime of his career?

According to Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin on ESPN’s “Get Up” on Wedensday, the relationship between Hopkins and coach Bill O’Brien, now full-time general manager, deteriorated to the point a departure was imminent.

“I couldn’t rest my mind on it. I called him again 24 hours, late yesterday and then he was willing to talk more. And I said, ‘Tell me what happened in Houston,’ and he went into it.

“He told me, he said, ‘Michael, it was a bit of a power struggle there.’ Because Coach O’Brien thought he had too much influence over the locker room. He called DeAndre Hopkins in a meeting to talk about this and kind of just hash it out. In that meeting, he started that meeting telling DeAndre Hopkins this, and it blew my mind when DeAndre Hopkins told me this.

“He said, he told DeAndre Hopkins, he said, ‘The last time I had to have a meeting like this it was with Aaron Hernandez.’ And I was like, did he put in Aaron Hernandez in this meeting?

“He said, ‘Yes, he did. Michael, that blew my mind that he would bring that up. I’ve never been in any trouble. Why would he equate me with Aaron Hernandez?’

“And from there the meeting just deteriorated that they got to talking about how DeAndre Hopkins has a few kids from different women. And he said, he told DeAndre that he doesn’t like that he has his baby mommas around sometimes. And from there I think the relationship just went bad, and thus we got a trade of DeAndre Hopkins from Houston from basically, like I said earlier, a ham sandwich all because of that relationship.”

Hopkins didn’t respond directly to the video or the comments therein on Twitter Wednesday, but the former 2013 first-round pick from Clemson did seem to subtweet the situation.

“This is being blown way out of proportion,” Hopkins wrote. “As I’ve said before, I enjoyed and am proud of my time with the Texans. I have the utmost respect for Coach O’Brien and that will not change. Now, I’m ready to play for the Cardinals.”

The Texans didn’t exactly get a ham sandwich in the trade with the Arizona Cardinals. Houston swapped Hopkins for All-Pro running back David Johnson, and also gave up their 2020 fourth-round pick to get the Cardinals’ 2020 second-round selection and 2021 fourth-round pick.

Regardless, the move was one a team makes when in rebuilding mode, not in championship mode. The Texans’ passing game will still have two-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson under center, but receivers Randall Cobb, Will Fuller, Keke Coutee, Kenny Stills, DeAndre Carter, and Steven Mitchell will all have to step up.