Titans' Taylor Lewan Gets Emotional Explaining Failed Drug Test, Suspension
Titans' starting left tackle Taylor Lewan has been suspended for four games after failing a drug test for a banned substance, Lewan announced in an emotional video shared Wednesday on social media.
Lewan said did not knowingly take the illegal substance–Ostarine–and added that he took a polygraph to prove the unintentionally of his consumption. The three-time Pro Bowler acknowledged that he understands the NFL and CBA hold him completely responsible for the things in his body, "whether the supplement I'm taking has it on the label or not."
Tearing up, Lewan apologized to the Titans and the team's fans for the four games he will miss due to his suspension.
"I've never cheated myself and I never wanted you guys to feel cheated," he said. "I'm sorry. I'm going to be better for this."
Lewan closed by adding that he intends to share findings from other positive tests for the same substance along with the results of his polygraph.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that it was Lewan's 'A' sample that tested positive this summer but results from his 'B' sample have not yet come back from the lab. Lewan will face the four-game suspension only if both samples match.
Lewan, 28, started in all 15 of his appearances for the Titans last season.
Tennessee agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract extension with Lewan last summer which included $50 million guaranteed. The two-time All American was taken by the Titans in the first round of the 2014 NFL draft out of Michigan.
Read Lewan's full message below:
"I received a letter from the NFL saying that I failed a drug test for Ostarine. Ostarine is a supplement banned from [the World Anti-Doping Agency] in 2007 that's known as a SARM (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulator). The way the CBA works is it's a strict liability policy so I'm completely responsible for the things that are in my body whether the supplement that I'm taking has it on the label or not. I want everyone to know that I've never taken this supplement knowingly and I've never cheated the game and I never will. I have notes. Those things don't really matter. What's really important to me is that people know that I'm not a cheater. 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 want you guys to feel cheated. 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."
