DeAndre Hopkins skips practice, Texans ‘wanted to walk out’ after McNair remarks – CBSSports.com

DeAndre Hopkins has not been on the Houston Texans‘ injury report since before Week 6, but the Pro Bowl wide receiver was an unexpected no-show at practice Friday, local media reported.

That’s because, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, he wasn’t injured at all.

His absence was actually a response to reported comments by team owner Bob McNair, who was quoted in a Friday ESPN story as referring to protesting NFL players as “inmates” — “We can’t have the inmates running the prison,” was his full statement at meetings between team owners and players, the story said.

And Hopkins wasn’t the only Houston player to be perturbed by McNair’s reported metaphor. Citing ESPN NFL Nation reporter Sarah Barshop, Schefter also noted that “Texans players wanted to walkout [sic] today in response to Bob McNair’s comments” and “had to be persuaded to stay.”

Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle and SportsRadio 610’s Matt Hammond were among those who first reported Friday there was “no sign” of Hopkins during the portion of Texans practice that was open to the media. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reiterated those reports, saying the fifth-year receiver “was not spotted” on the field or on the sidelines two days before Houston’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.

And while Texans head coach Bill O’Brien told local media Hopkins had taken “a personal day,” Schefter reported via Twitter shortly afterward that the receiver’s decision stemmed from McNair’s remarks. O’Brien, for what it’s worth, declined to address whether Hopkins had taken a day off because of McNair’s comments, all the while declining to rule out the possibility that Hopkins could miss Sunday’s game against Seattle — “If something changes,” he said, according to Wilson, “we’ll let you know.”

Texans personnel, including general manager Rick Smith, went on to open discussions with players after the reported in-house backlash, Schefter added.