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DJ Bien-Aime, ESPN
HOUSTON — Texans defensive end Denico Autry has been suspended for six games for violating the NFL’s policy against performance-enhancing substances, the league announced Monday.
Autry, 34, said in a statement the violation was because his doctors submitted a prescription for a different medication that contained a banned substance. He said he did not intentionally violate the league’s policy but accepts the punishment.
“Over the course of my ten-year NFL career, I have never engaged in the use of performance enhancing drugs,” Autry said in the statement. “Over that period, I have been subject to countless tests, none of which have ever returned a positive result. I was, therefore, stunned this offseason when I learned that one of my tests returned a positive result.”
In March, the Texans signed Autry to a two-year, $20 million deal with $10 million guaranteed after posting a career-best 11.5 sacks last season for the Tennessee Titans. He has 59 sacks in his career. Throughout training camp, he has been working with the starting defense at defensive tackle and defensive end.
Autry says upon his investigation of the matter, he “discovered that a pharmacy to which my doctors submitted a prescription for a different medication, had, whether intentionally, recklessly, or negligently, included 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. It was important to me that the NFL know that I did not intentionally or even knowingly ingest a banned substance,” he said.
Autry apologized “to the Texans organization, my teammates, and the fans for any distraction this may cause. Finally, 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.”
