Houston Texans defensive end Denico Autry has been suspended by the NFL for failing a performance-enhancing drug test, but the veteran says a pharmacy is to blame.
The NFL announced on Monday that Autry has received a six-game suspension for violating the league’s PED policy. Autry responded with a lengthy statement claiming a pharmacy was responsible for giving him the wrong medication. The 34-year-old said he is pursuing legal action.
“I immediately investigated the matter and 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,” Autry said. “I want to be clear, at no time did I know or even suspect that the medication contained a banned substance.”
Autry said his legal counsel has obtained documentation proving that he “neither asked for nor was prescribed any banned substances.” He added that he will accept the six-game suspension and not appeal, as it is still his responsibility to keep track of what goes into his body.
#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.“
Full: pic.twitter.com/1zc7k8eyTb
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 29, 2024
Players who fail PED tests often say that they unknowingly ingested a banned substance. What is different in Autry’s situation is that he claims he would not have taken a banned substance had the pharmacy given him the correct medication. That is a pretty shocking allegation.
Autry signed a two-year contract with the Texans in March after spending the previous three seasons with the Tennessee Titans. He had a career-high 11.5 sacks and 50 total tackles last season to go alone with two forced fumbles.
