Arizona Cardinals: How has DeAndre Hopkins changed the culture?

In just two weeks, DeAndre Hopkins has put the Cardinals in the national spotlight.

When the Arizona Cardinals acquired DeAndre Hopkins from the Houston Texans in the 2020 offseason, many chose to focus on why the Texans made such a bad move.

Instead, the real focus should have been and should still be on what Hopkins has done for a franchise that has yet to have a true wide receiver outside of Larry Fitzgerald, who will eventually retire and leave Hopkins as the only future Hall of Fame wideout on the roster.

In just his first two games with the Cardinals, the former Clemson superstar has grabbed 22 catches for 219 yards and one touchdown as Arizona sits with a stunning 2-0 record after wins over Washington and defending conference champion San Francisco. His former team, meanwhile, is 0-2.

The Arizona Cardinals are benefitting from Houston’s mistake with DeAndre Hopkins.

Though a small sample size with just two games, the impact that DeAndre Hopkins has had on not only the Arizona franchise but their young star quarterback, Kyler Murray, is evident. Not only are the Cardinals winning games but they are extremely fun to watch on offense.

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury has put together an offensive arsenal that not only is respectable but scoring points at will. Though the offensive line has been labeled suspect at times, they have been looked at a lot differently as Murray has gotten the ball out of his hands quickly and Hopkins has made that possible.

With the offense moving well, the defense has enjoyed the pleasure of being able to take breathers and strategize while on the bench which enables turnovers and three-and-outs that allows Arizona to take control of the game.

With a tough division in the NFC West that features San Francisco, Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams, the Cardinals made a statement that they aren’t going to be pushed over. One single trade has made the Cardinals relevant again — and it’s a sight to behold.