Clemson legend DeAndre Hopkins defends Dabo Swinney from accusations of racism

DeAndre Hopkins doesn’t think Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney is racist.

DeAndre Hopkins has come to the defense of his former college football coach.

Hopkins starred on the Clemson football team for head coach Dabo Swinney before becoming arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. After putting up hall of fame numbers with the Houston Texans, Hopkins will begin his first season with his new team in the Arizona Cardinals. But first, he had to defend his former college coach who is under fire by the national media.

Late Wednesday morning, Hopkins tweeted his take on how he feels about his former head coach and what he’s gone through in the last week or so.

“One thing I do know Coach Swinney has never been a racist or had any ill will towards any player,” tweeted Hopkins. “Best coach I’ve ever been around from a football perspective and personal perspective. He helped me become a man and grow from being a kid from Central South Carolina.”

DeAndre Hopkins defends Dabo Swinney on Twitter.

While some people have gone as far as saying Swinney is racist, that’s not really the reason he’s been in so much hot water of late. Swinney is the head coach of the preeminent program in college football. Clemson has won the ACC five years in a row, made the College Football Playoff each season, played in four national championships and won two of them. Swinney is also the highest-paid coach in college football.

But when you say things like “I’m just another football coach” and wear “Football Matters” shirts, major sports media personalities like ESPN’s Paul Finebaum and FS1’s Skip Bayless will crush you for being so blatantly tone-deaf in a time where that is no longer acceptable. It’s about becoming a better man and not hiding behind Christianity as a masquerade for white privilege.

While many former and current Clemson players have come to Swinney’s defense, including star quarterback Trevor Lawrence, former starting quarterback Tajh Boyd and now Hopkins, it’s a narrative on Swinney that’s not going away because he doesn’t get that he doesn’t get it. Maybe he’ll get it after Lawrence and three of his teammates have their organized protest on Saturday?

Clemson is the co-favorite to win the national title this winter along with the Ohio State Buckeyes. Some are picking the Tigers to go undefeated this year. However, it has been anything but a quiet offseason for Swinney and his program. It feels like decades ago when the self-proclaimed funky football coach was becoming the greatest viral TikTok sensation of all time.

More and more players are coming to Swinney’s defense, but will he ever get it?

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