Tennessee Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan, the NFL’s highest-paid left tackle, on Wednesday announced that he has failed a doping test for a banned substance he said he unknowingly ingested.
The 28-year-old blind-side blocker for Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota, who has never started a game without Lewan protecting him in four NFL seasons, could face a suspension for the first four games of the upcoming season.
Lewan posted an emotional video on social media saying that the NFL sent him a letter saying he tested positive for ostarine, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
“I’m completely responsible for the things that are in my body, whether the supplement I’m taking has it on the label or not,” Lewan said. “I want everyone to know that I’ve never taken the supplement knowingly and I’ve never cheated the game and I never will.”
Lewan, who in July last year signed a five-year contract extension worth US$80 million with US$50 million guaranteed to become the NFL’s top-paid offensive lineman, said that he took a lie-detector test about knowingly taking the drug and passed it.
“What really is important to me is that people know I’m not a cheater. I went and did a polygraph test about ostarine and knowingly taking it, and I passed that test,” Lewan said.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to be better for this. I’m going to come back. I got my supplements tested by a third party. I’m going to release that polygraph,” he added.
The NFL has not announced any suspension for Lewan, who would likely be banned for the Titans’ first four games of the season if found to have tested positive by its testing program.
Lewan would then miss games at Cleveland on Sept. 8, at home against Indianapolis a week later, at Jacksonville on Sept. 19 and at Atlanta on Sept. 29. He could return ahead of a Titans’ home game on Oct. 6 against Buffalo.
Adding to the pressure on the Titans’ blocking unit is that right offensive tackle Jack Conklin is returning from a torn knee ligament last season.
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