ARIZONA CARDINALS

Cardinals’ WR DeAndre Hopkins moves on in Madden NFL tournament

Apr 19, 2020, 2:32 PM | Updated: 6:56 pm

New Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is moving on in ESPN’s Madden NFL 20 celebrity tournament after beating rapper Lil Yachty on Sunday in the first round.

Hopkins took control of his former team, the Houston Texans, and beat Lil Yachty, who was playing as the Los Angeles Rams, 32-14.

Hopkins is one of the best players in the game, ending the 2019 season with a 97 overall rating, and is still with the Texans in the game.

He will be taking on former UFC champion Chris Weidman in round two of the tournament, who beat Devonta Freeman of the Atlanta Falcons.

Hopkins showed Cardinals fans that he’s not just good with a ball in his hands but a controller too after taking a commanding 19-point lead into halftime.

Playing as quarterback Deshaun Watson, Hopkins found himself on a short pass to the endzone for a touchdown near the conclusion of the first quarter.

He decided to add some extra insurance with a 2-point conversion.

After picking up an additional six points, Hopkins was in the red zone again in the second quarter looking for more.

He sent the ball right up the gut with Texans running back Lamar Miller for another touchdown.

Once again, Hopkins was successful with the 2-point conversion and now held a 20-0 advantage.

Lil Yachty started to make some in-roads near the end of the half with a 50+ yard pass to Todd Gurley over the middle of the field for a touchdown.

Hopkins got those points right back, however, finding tight end Darren Fells who secured the catch and dove into the endzone for the score with less than 30 seconds until halftime.

Looking to mount a comeback, Lil Yachty zipped a pass to Rams tight end Tyler Higbee to shrink the deficit to 12 points with a minute to go in the third quarter.

It was too little, too late for Lil Yachty as Hopkins put a bow on the victory with another six points in the fourth quarter.

Denver Broncos running back Melvin Gordon, Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Hollywood Brown, the family of Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs, ESPN host Katie Nolan, former UFC champion Daniel Cormier and rapper Snoop Dogg are also moving on in the tournament.

The winner of the single-elimination tournament will win a $25,000 donation that will go to Feeding for America in their name.

If Hopkins is able to go the distance and win the prize, he would join Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker who won the NBA 2K20 Player’s Tournament and received $100,000 that was donated to #FirstRespondersFirst and the Arizona Food Bank Network.

The tournament will run through April 25. Some of those matchups will be broadcasted on the ESPN Twitch page and through the ESPN app.

Presented By
Western Governors University

Arizona Cardinals

Desmond Ridder runs the rock against Houston...

Tyler Drake

Desmond Ridder eager to remind fellow Cardinals QB Clayton Tune about college wins

Cardinals quarterback Desmond Ridder may not know Kyler Murray just yet, but he and Clayton Tune go way back.

1 day ago

LSU's Malik Nabers, a top NFL Draft prospect...

Kevin Zimmerman

NFL Draft: Malik Nabers to visit Arizona Cardinals after LSU pro day, per report

Top NFL Draft receiver prospect Malik Nabers will reportedly visit with the Arizona Cardinals after the LSU Tigers' pro day.

2 days ago

Desmond Ridder looks to pass...

Tyler Drake

QB1 or not, Desmond Ridder keeping starter mentality with Cardinals

New Cardinals QB Desmond Ridder is focused on using the good and the bad from his first two seasons rather than listening to outside chatter.

2 days ago

Jonathan Gannon and Kyler Murray look on...

Tyler Drake

Cardinals’ Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray’s ‘best football is ahead of him’

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon believes Kyler Murray will continue taking the necessary steps forward with a full offseason of work.

2 days ago

Kyler Murray chats with Jonathan Gannon...

Arizona Sports

Arizona Cardinals will face ‘really good’ AFC opponent for joint preseason practices

The Arizona Cardinals expect to hold joint practices in the preseason against a really good AFC opponent, in the words of Jonathan Gannon.

3 days ago

Patriots and Cardinals kick off return in 2020...

Associated Press

NFL owners approve new kickoff rules for 2024

NFL kickoff rules will take on a hybrid approach similar to the XFL. League owners approved the new measures Tuesday.

3 days ago

Cardinals’ WR DeAndre Hopkins moves on in Madden NFL tournament