Texans’ DeAndre Hopkins dedicates playoff game — and his paycheck — to slain second-grader

DeAndre Hopkins will be putting his playoff paycheck to excellent use.

The Houston Texans’ Pro Bowl receiver has announced that the money he makes from playing against the Indianapolis Colts this weekend will go toward covering the costs of Jazmine Barnes’ funeral and helping to track down the person who shot and killed the 7-year-old girl Sunday morning on the eastern outskirts of Houston.

“When I see Jazmine Barnes’ face, I see my own daughter,” Hopkins tweeted Thursday.

Investigators are searching for the man responsible for the second-grader’s death. He was driving a pickup truck when he pulled alongside the car she and other family members were riding in and and started shooting. Jazmine was killed and her mother, LaPorsha Washington, was wounded. Three of Barnes’ sisters were also in the car and one was hurt by shattered glass. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez described the attack as “totally unprovoked.”

As determined by the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, Texans players will make $29,000 each for playing in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

“On Saturday,” Hopkins tweeted, “I will be playing in your honor, Jazmine.”

Hopkins addressed his decision with reporters later on Thursday.

“I felt in my heart it’s only right that I give back to those who are down.” he said. “What I can do, that’s nothing. That won’t bring back a person. I’m not trying to make it all about me or anything like that, but it’s the least I could do to help out.”

charles.schilken@latimes.com

Twitter: @chewkiii