Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins revealed he wears the number ten on his jersey to honor his cousin.
Hopkins shared the reason on his personal Twitter account Wednesday.
My big cousin from South Carolina did 10 years in jail for $600 worth of drugs, Let that sink in. That’s the real reason I wear number 10. Modern Day…
— Deandre Hopkins (@DeAndreHopkins) June 3, 2020
“My big cousin from South Carolina did 10 years in jail for $600 worth of drugs, Let that sink in,” Hopkins tweeted. “That’s the real reason I wear number 10. Modern Day…”
The former Houston Texans player didn’t expand on the details of his cousin’s arrest.
Hopkins has been outspoken about his reasons behind the things he does on the football field. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, he revealed he wears his hair in dreadlocks because he learned that people who wear them can face employment discrimination. (RELATED: Seahawks Head Coach Pete Carroll Says We ‘Owe A Tremendous Amount’ To Colin Kaepernick)
“That’s what happens, especially in America,” Hopkins told the outlet. “That’s why I wear my hair up with pride, because I know that we, as people, drew strength from our hair. I will never cut [mine] because I know who I am. And there’s power in knowing exactly who I am.”
Hopkins grew up in a family of four children with a single mother. His father died when he was six years old in a car accident. His father was out on bail at the time on charges of trafficking drugs.
Hopkins’ revelation comes after the death of George Floyd while in custody of Minneapolis Police sparked protests and riots across American cities.