Getty Arizona Cardinals WR DeAndre Hopkins
Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins is now a partial owner of a professional sports team. It might not be a team you’ve heard of yet, though, because it is brand new to the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC), which just wrapped up its fourth season.
Hopkins and three others will lead the ownership of the up-and-coming franchise in Houston, the city where Hopkins spent the first seven years of his NFL career playing for the Texans. His sister, Kesha Smith, who used to play in the WNFC, is one of the other owners. The other co-owners are former players Teryni Dash and Khyle Jamerson.
“It is such a great honor and privilege to have the opportunity to join the WNFC and give women’s football in Houston a fresh start,” the new ownership group announced in a press release. “We are excited about what the future holds for this new team. With collective efforts, we truly have the vision, drive, will, and desire it takes to build an amazing franchise and new home for the great athletes in the WNFC!”
The league announced the news on Twitter on July 12. According to the league’s announcement, the “league has discontinued participation of the Houston Heat as an active franchise,” signaling that the Hopkins group’s unnamed team will take the Heat’s place.
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NFL Players Cheer On Hopkins
Later that day, Hopkins alerted his Instagram followers, writing, “Thankful to be an OWNER and part of @WNFCfootball, New team coming to Houston.”
Several Cardinals teammates past and present commented on Hopkins’ post to offer their congratulations.
“This right here!” wrote former Cardinals linebacker Chandler Jones, adding two fire emojis.
“Real one, Fr!” wrote Cardinals backup running back Eno Benjamin.
Cardinals outside linebacker Markus Golden commented twice, once writing, “You really HIM!!” and another time posting three fire emojis.
And Cardinals cornerback Marco Wilson simply posted, “Big move.”
Women’s National Football Conference Launched in 2019
The WNFC held its inaugural season in 2019, featuring 15 teams from across the country that had previously played games in numerous leagues. With the help of Adidas, which at the time was running its “She Breaks Barriers” campaign, the league found a primary sponsor and has not looked back since. Other primary sponsors now include Dick’s Sporting Goods and sports equipment manufacturer Riddell.
The league celebrated the completion of its fourth season on June 26 when the Texas Elite Spartans won the IX Cup Championship for the third straight time. The team is based in Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. The IX Cup is named for Title IX, the civil rights law passed in 1972 that essentially paved the way for women’s and girls’ sports in the United States.
Last weekend, the league held its all-star contest, dubbed the All Pro game. The league’s games have been shown on the Vyre streaming service.
Hopkins currently finds himself on suspension for violating the NFL’s Performance Enhancing Drug policy, and is the three-time All-Pro receiver is expected to make his return in Week 7.
With the passion and drive and football knowledge of Hopkins, perhaps his Houston team can hoist the IX Cup in the near future.