DeAndre Hopkins Fined for Taunting

Nov 21, 2022; Mexico City, MEX; Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins (10) speaks with field judge Michael Banks (72) in the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at Estadio Azteca. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins was fined $10,609 for a taunting penalty received last Monday against the San Francisco 49ers.

The penalty itself was already controversial. In what would have been a first down, a pointing of the finger pulled the Cardinals back into a long 3rd down conversion.

A conversion in which they failed to convert.

This is a SOFT taunting penalty on DeAndre Hopkins 😭pic.twitter.com/1Fz6y3wia6

— Brian Y (@byysports) November 22, 2022

Fans were not very happy for the penalty in the first place, and for good reason.

The @nfl is a joke. That taunting penalty on @DeAndreHopkins was absolute garbage. Let the kids play. #nfl #nofunleague

— Teej (@pellegrino55555) November 22, 2022

That unsportsmanlike penalty on @DeAndreHopkins was ridiculous. @NFL keeping their reputation alive #NOFUNLEAGUE

— Steve Crawford (@SCrawford1987) November 22, 2022

DeAndre Hopkins is definitely not a protected player in the NFL

Gets called for a ridiculous taunting penalty early in the game and the officials casually miss an obvious personal foul when he was pushed well out of bounds into the camera crew

— Cliff Booth (@_JonathonK5) November 22, 2022

Counting the opposing players that were on coverage does not seem to equate to a $10,000 fine.

Luckily, the NFL did not go as far as suspending Hopkins, so he will be good to play this Sunday versus the Los Angeles Chargers.