Texans WR DeAndre Hopkins exits game with head injury

In today’s NFL, a “head injury” is almost never a positive diagnosis, but that is where the Houston Texans find themselves with rookie wideout DeAndre Hopkins.

Hopkins left Saturday’s preseason game with the Dolphins during the first half, and, according to the Texans’ official website, has been diagnosed with a head injury. Normally, head injury is code for concussion, but since the team hasn’t gone there (yet), I will fall short of diagnosing him myself.

The 21-year-old wide receiver was Houston’s 1st-round pick this season, and he is the latest in a long line of players to take up the opposing side of the field from Andre Johnson. The #2 receiver spot has been a bit of a black hole for the Texans in the last half-decade, but expectations are high that the ultra-talented Hopkins can make a legitimate impact.

We likely won’t know a firm diagnosis on Hopkins until he can undergo tests after the game, but it seems like a stretch to think that we would see him in the most important preseason game (i.e. the third of the season) on Sunday, August 25th. However, it could be a case where Hopkins was getting the “kid gloves” treatment by his new team, and when more information becomes available, we will bring that to you here.