Wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins gained traction for the wrong reasons that have nothing to do with football. A viral moment caught everyone’s attention when the Baltimore Ravens veteran requested $100,000 for a live-stream appearance. The player’s move didn’t sit well with streamer NEON or many on social media, who wasted no time blasting him. He tried to swing the narrative, but to no avail.

“DeAndre Hopkins just DM’d me and said I need to pay him $100k for a stream. Are you serious, DHop?” Streamer NEON said via Viral Disc’s post on X. “I don’t pay for streams! Damn, DHop, that’s my favorite player too, man.” 

The viral video that’s making the rounds on social media was from NEON’s recent livestream. The clip shows the gaming streamer sitting in a car with his friends when he reads Hopkins’ text. Interestingly, he wasn’t alone in sharing his disappointment, as his friends also seemed shocked and somewhat appalled. While it was nothing serious, the moment quickly spread and became a talking point across social media.

Where Does Ravens Still Lack Elite Talent?

Let Tony do the scouting, you just make the pick.

Pick your positions. Get Tony’s top 5:

C

CB

DE

DT

FB

G

ILB

OLB

P

PK

QB

RB

S

T

TE

WR

View Tony’s Picks

Hopkins has played in the NFL since 2013 and has reached many milestones. These include his five Pro Bowl selections, three First Team All-Pro honors, and 2017 NFL receiving touchdowns leader. While his production has dipped in recent years, the Ravens signed him to a one-year, $5 million deal. The contract included a $3.75 million signing bonus and full guarantees. With free agency approaching, he’ll likely strike a new deal again.

Beyond NFL, Hopkins endorses and has invested in several brands. These include the wellness technology company Therabody, the plant-based brand Beyond Meat, and the skincare line Oars & Alps. He has also teamed up with BoohooMAN for a clothing line and SEQL for sports recruiting. He’s clearly making plenty of money… or is at least trying to. But does that justify stepping onto a public platform and asking for money like this? No wonder he’s getting trolled on the internet.

The netizens didn’t buy into DeAndre Hopkins’ philanthropic move

When the viral moment from NEON’s livestream wreaked havoc, Hopkins tried his best to do damage control. He reshared the clip on X and made a major announcement he hoped would save his skin.

“Let’s donate it to a charity my brother! 🤝” his caption read. 

This move aimed to shift the focus from money to something more positive. However, the ship had already sailed, with many interpreting the post as backtracking rather than goodwill. The netizens took their sweet time poking fun at and humiliating the 33-year-old receiver. 

One wrote, “D hop wanted that money but now that neon made it public he wanna donate it to charity lmaooo.”

Another user wrote, “Lmfaoo had to switch up once he got aired out 🤣😂”

Both comments showed how public opinion weighs on famous people. After all, it apparently forced the wideout to change his mind once the texts became public.

“You got called out now you wanna charity it Hahahaha,” the third user wrote. “You are better than this dhop!!!!”

This one mocked the timing of Hopkins’ response, saying he changed his tone only after being “called out.” Meanwhile, the fourth one kept it brief and straight-up called him a liar, adding a crying emoji to mock the player. Next, a fan implied there was no reason to fake it.

“Trying to recover on this one 😂 my g don’t even got a blue check you know he was fr in that 100k” they wrote. 

One reaction hinted that something is “fishy.” They posted a GIF of Tom Hardy saying, “That’s bait,” summing up what they feel about the whole situation. Whether it was a joke or a serious ask, the internet didn’t spare DeAndre Hopkins. The incident shows how it could take only a single moment to tarnish one’s reputation.