Texans' LT Duane Brown suspended for four games
Sunday's upcoming "Battle of Texas" will be missing one of its most important players.
The Houston Texans will be without their starting left tackle for next Sunday's all-Texas affair with the Dallas Cowboys. Duane Brown was suspended for four games on Tuesday for violating the NFL's policy
on performance-enhancing drugs.
Brown apologized to his owners, coaches, teammates and fans in a statement released by the NFL.
"I take full responsibility for putting myself in this situation," he said. "I unknowingly took a supplement tainted with a banned substance and now have to deal with the consequences. After reviewing the
appeal process and speaking with legal counsel, I have decided not to appeal my suspension. I understand the rules and accept my punishment."
Texans' right tackle Eric Winston seemed to sympathise with Brown’s fate, pointing out that tainted supplements were a common problem.
"We talk about it, there are signs up in the locker room," Winston said. "There are all kinds of things, but it's an industry problem, too. They can put whatever they want in there. There's no regulation
to it. Until there is something done about that, these things are going to happen."
Not all Texans seemed to have quite so much sympathy though, as coach Rick Smith seemed to suggest the team had done more than enough to warn players off of the danger.
"Our players have to understand that they are responsible for what goes into their bodies and that they take risks anytime they use a supplement not approved by the NFL," Smith said in a statement released
by the Texans. "Our head athletic trainer, head strength and conditioning coach as well as our team nutritionist have had many meetings and presentations constantly reminding our players about the dangers of the supplemental industry and risks associated with
taking non-approved products."
Brown will be replaced in the starting line-up by fifth year tackle Rashad Butler.
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