Former Cardinals GM in ugly feud with DeAndre Hopkins over drug test accusations

Some outside noise is penetrating the Cardinals camp.

Former Arizona GM Steve Keim has retained legal counsel after DeAndre Hopkins accused him of involvement in contaminating or manipulating a drug test that resulted in the five-time Pro Bowler’s six-game suspension in 2022, NFL insider Ari Meirov reported Wednesday.

Keim, 53, denied the allegations in a public statement on Tuesday.

“DeAndre Hopkins recently published and then deleted a statement falsely suggesting that I was responsible for contaminating or manipulating the drug test associated with his 2022 NFL suspension,” the statement read. “That accusation is completely false.

“I did not contaminate, alter, manipulate, interfere with, or cause anyone else to interfere with DeAndre’s drug test or its results. I did not ‘set him up’ for a suspension, and I had no involvement in causing the test result that led to his suspension.

Former Cardinals GM Steve Keim walks the sidelines prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sept. 18, 2022. Getty Images

“Accusing someone of deliberately interfering with an NFL drug test is an extraordinarily serious allegation. It attacks my integrity, my professional reputation, and the work I spent decades building in the National Football League. The fact that the statement was later deleted does not undo the damage caused by publishing it to a large public audience.

“I have retained counsel, Raees Mohamed, Esq., to aggressively address this matter and to protect my reputation and legal rights. The relevant evidence is being reviewed and preserved, and this matter will be handled through the appropriate channels.”

Keim went on to add that he refuses to engage in “public back-and forth” or “litigating” this incident on social media with Hopkins, though he will “not remain silent.”

In his since-deleted Instagram post, Hopkins said “I got set up when I played for his team and lost 13 million. Skeme Slime was my GM, contaminated drug test go figure how that happened,” per Arizona Republic.

It’s unknown where Hopkins is getting the $13 million figure. According to Pro Football Talk at the time, he lost $5.2 million due to being sidelined.

Wildcats FFC wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins answers a question during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic Press Conference & Practice at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on March 20, 2026. ISI Photos via Getty Images

Hopkins, 34, was suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s performmance-enhancing drugs policy in 2022. It threw off Arizona’s 2022 season, finishing just 4-13 while also losing Kyler Murray to a torn ACL.

Keim traded for Hopkins in 2020 out of Houston.

The two were together for three seasons and four years later, Hopkins is speaking out.

After 10 years in the role, Keim left Arizona and the league following the 2022 season.

Hopkins last played for the NFL in 2025 for the Ravens. He recently joined Georgia Tech as an assistant wide receivers coach in August.