The NFL has suspended Houston Texans defensive end Denico Autry for six games for a violation of the league’s performance-enhancing substance policy. Per Ian Rapoport: “#Texans DE Denico Autry is being suspended 6 games for violating NFL policy against performance enhancing drugs. He has released a statement saying, “It was important to me that the NFL know that I did not intentionally or even knowingly ingest a banned substance.“
Autry, who signed a two-year, $20 million, with $10 million guaranteed, earlier this offseason, was expected to be a multi-purpose defensive lineman for the AFC South champion Texans; however, all guarantees in Autry’s contract are voided due to the PED suspension.
Autry, 34, released a statement stating that he never intentionally took a banned substance, and said the violation was because his doctors submitted a prescription for a different medication that contained a banned substance. While he did not intentionally violate the league’s policy, Autry said he accepts the punishment: “Over the course of my ten-year NFL career, I have never engaged in use of performance enhancing drugs. Over that period, I have been subject to countless tests, none of which have ever returned a positive result. I was, stunned this offseason when I learned that one of my tests returned a positive result. I want to be clear, at no time did I know or even suspect that this medication contained a banned substance. Upon discovering the source of the positive test, I immediately retained legal counsel in connection with this matter. My counsel provided the NFL with information, including documentation from my doctors, establishing that I neither asked for nor was prescribed any banned substances. I want to assure our fans that my commitment to competing to the best of my ability has only grown and I look forward to returning to the field.”
Autry is heading into his 11th NFL season, coming out of Mississippi State to join the Las Vegas Raiders in their defensive end rotation for four years before leaving for Indianapolis and becoming a full-time starter. Autry was a fixture in the starting lineup for his three seasons in Indianapolis before joining the Tennessee Titans in 2021. He totaled a career-high 11.5 sacks during his final year for the Titans, and is coming off the best statistical season of his career, compiling career highs in 50 tackles (50) and sacks (11.5).
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