An emotional Taylor Lewan posted a video to social media on Wednesday to share that he’s facing a four-game suspension for testing positive for a banned substance.
Lewan, the highest-paid tackle in the NFL, maintained he never took a prohibited supplement.
“I’m making this video so it comes from me and from nobody else and it doesn’t leave anything up for interpretation,” said Lewan, a three-time Pro Bowl selection. “I received a letter from the NFL a few weeks ago saying that I failed a drug test for Ostarine.”
He later continued: “I went and did a polygraph test about Ostarine and knowingly taking it and I passed that test. I’ve never taken anything that would cheat the game. I’m so sorry to the Tennessee Titans … This is hard. I’m sorry to the Titans and the fans that I won’t be there for four games. I’ve never cheated myself and I never wanted you guys to feel cheated. And I’m sorry, but I’m gonna be better for this. I’m gonna come back. I got my supplements tested by a third party. I’m going to release that polygraph. There’s also been letters on the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), Clemson and other NFL players that have failed for Ostarine as well that I’ll make public. I’ll do whatever I can to prove that I’ve never done anything wrong in regards to supplements or taking anything knowingly. Thank you so much for watching this video and thank you to everyone who supports me.”
He said he would be sharing the independent polygraph results, too.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Lewan announced the news before the league did.
“My understanding is this is not yet been made official (by the league office),” Rapoport said. “There’s no statement coming from the NFL just yet. They’re still in the process of going through the different samples making sure that the first sample matching the second sample. If it does, Lewan is expected to be suspended the four games that he mentioned. Until then he is still in limbo. According to his words, he does in fact expect this suspension to come. A significant blow to the Tennessee Titans.”
Lewan, 28, was the No. 11 overall pick by the Titans in the 2014 NFL Draft. Entering his sixth season, he has played in 73 games (68 starts) and is depended on to protect the heath of quarterback Marcus Mariota.
There is no readymade replacement on the roster, but the Titans could slide former first-round pick Jack Conklin over from right tackle to fill the void if Lewan is suspended. Conklin, however, is recovering from ACL surgery and likely to progress slowly during August.
