Former NFL All-Pro suspended by NFL while rehabbing injury

Gerald McCoy of the Las Vegas Raiders has been suspended without pay for the team’s next six games. The suspension is for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

McCoy takes accountability

McCoy openly acknowledged the wrongdoing as a mistake on his behalf on his personal Twitter account.

“I love the game of football and have nothing but respect for the players, fans, and this league,” the statement began. “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.”

What it all means

McCoy is currently on the team’s injured reserve list after suffering a knee injury in the Raiders’ Monday night win against the Baltimore Ravens to open the season. Because of that, McCoy will serve out his sentence while on the IR list. The good news for the Raiders is that this suspension will not affect their game plans. The Raiders will take on Los Angeles Chargers in their upcoming match-up nor will it affect next season when McCoy could possibly return from injury.

As for McCoy, he loses out on six weeks’ worth of pay from the Raiders. More importantly so to him, this could affect his reputation in the league going forward.

This is just another unfortunate event in a series of them that the All-Pro defensive tackle has suffered recently. As stated earlier McCoy is currently out for the season. This will be basically the second season in a row he will miss. He missed the entirety of his 2020 season with the Dallas Cowboys after suffering a ruptured right quadricep in training camp.

The six-time pro-bowler will now look to bounce back from another season-ending injury and a possible hit to his reputation as an NFL professional.