September 29, 2021
Injured Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Gerald McCoy tested positive for a banned substance, an admission he made Wednesday afternoon with a qualifier.
McCoy, lost for the season in the season with a torn ACL, issued an apology via social media but described his positive test as an “honest mistake.”
“I love the game of football and have nothing but respect for the players, fans and this league,” McCoy said.
“I’ve given my all to this game and worked my entire career to compete, train, and rehabilitate at a high level with integrity. It is with great disappointment that I recently learned I tested positive for a banned substance — something I was prescribed to take to help with scar tissue and tendon strength from a previous injury. In no way would I ever intentionally take anything to help with performance or gain a competitive advantage. This was an honest mistake, but it’s something I take full responsibility for. I apologize to my family, the NFL, my teammates and the fans and ask humbly for your forgiveness.”
McCoy, a former All-Pro who made the Pro Bowl six consecutive seasons with the Buccaneers, signed a one-year, $1.25 million contract with the Raiders on Aug. 21 in an attempt to return to the NFL after a year out of the league. He sustained a quad injury in training camp in 2020 with the Dallas Cowboys.
Tampa Bay selected McCoy with the No. 3 overall pick of the 2010 NFL Draft, and he spent nine seasons there. The Bucs released him in a salary-cap move in May 2019, and he signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Carolina Panthers.
After starting all 16 games for the Panthers, he signed a three-year $18.3 million contract with Dallas but was released after the injury.
In 140 career games (139 starts), the 33-year-old McCoy has made 334 tackles, 153 quarterback hits and 59 1/2 sacks. He also has recorded six forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries.
–Field Level Media
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