Top Colts defender suspended 6 games for PED violation

Mar 3, 2023; Indianapolis, IN, USA; The Indianapolis Colts helmet logo at midfield at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Already down their starting quarterback, the Indianapolis Colts are suffering another liver shot.

Stephen Holder of ESPN reported Tuesday that Colts nose tackle Grover Stewart has been suspended for six games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. He will now be sidelined through early December as a result (with Stewart’s next chance to play coming in Week 14 against Cincinnati).

Stewart acknowledged the violation in an apology post to his Instagram Story, saying that he was “surprised and disappointed” by the news.

You can read Stewart’s full post below.

The ex-fourth-round pick Stewart is known as one of the NFL’s premier run-stoppers. At 6-foot-4 and 315 pounds, he seals off the middle for opposing rushers and had started in every single game for the Colts since the 2020 NFL season.

Stewart is in the final season of a three-year, $30.8 million extension he signed with Indianapolis in 2020 (with Holder noting that the suspension will cost Stewart roughly $3.4 million in salary and bonuses). The Colts are now listing Taven Bryan as their starting nose tackle but may have to make a signing or trade in the absence of Stewart (who is the latest NFL player to be suspended for PEDs).