Cleveland Browns star kicker Dustin Hopkins visited the medical tent during the second quarter. Hopkins injured his hamstring while chasing Dameon Pierce on the touchdown return for the Houston Texans. When Hopkins emerged from the medical tent, he consulted with special teams’ coach Bubba Ventrone near the kicking net. He is questionable to return as the Browns lead 22-7. The Browns’ punter Corey Bojorquez is the backup kicker.
The injury happened at an awful time for the player and the team. Hopkins is a handful of points away from becoming the Browns’ single-season scoring leader. Hopkins is in a serious battle to be named the Pro Bowl kicker for the AFC.
Meanwhile, the Browns cannot go a week without a major injury to a key contributor. The team is playing multiple backup players at important positions right before the playoffs begin. The Browns need to get healthy to have a shot at the Super Bowl this season. Hopefully, Hopkins can heal up quickly. His ability to remain cool in the face of pressure has turned him into a clutch kicker and a fan favorite.
The Browns scored a touchdown and opted to go for the two-point conversion if that is any indication of Hopkins’ status.