As if the New England Patriots needed another four-game suspension…
Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich announced Friday that he is facing a ban for the first four games of the season after testing positive for a banned substance. The 32-year-old expressed his shock and devastation at the news.
“Few things are more important to me than my name and reputation,” Ninkovich said, per Mike Reiss of ESPN. “This might call that into question for some, which has me heartbroken. I don’t want to cut any corners. I want to do things the right way, with high integrity, and that’s what I have always wanted to stand for.
“Any supplement I’ve ever used was bought at a store. I was unaware something I bought had a substance in it that would give me a positive test because it wasn’t listed [as an ingredient],” Ninkovich continued. “One thing I have learned is that if a supplement is not NSF certified, there are no regulations that ensure that what is on the label is 100 percent accurate. That is a hard lesson for me to learn at this stage in my career, but I take responsibility for it. It’s a mistake I made and it hurts that I won’t be there for my teammates.”
Ninkovich, who has recorded 42.0 sacks in the last seven seasons for New England, had already been dealing with a triceps injury that was expected to sideline him for the beginning of the regular season.
On the bright side for the Patriots, they signed Chris Long over the offseason and recently traded for Barkevious Mingo, so Ninkovich’s suspension shouldn’t sting too badly. Now, Ninkovich can focus on getting healthy in time for Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
Image Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
