Lions' Rogers suspended four games
By Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Shaun Rogers, one of the NFL's most talented players at his position, has been suspended four games for a violation of the steroid and related substances policy, the league said Wednesday.
The two-time Pro Bowl performer tested positive, sources said, for a product that Rogers used to help him control his weight. Those sources declined to specifically identify the substance.
Rogers' agent, Kennard McGuire, confirmed to The Detroit Free Press that his client took an over-the-counter supplement meant to help control his weight.
"He wanted to make sure that he kept his weight and everything under control. He took an over-the-counter GNC supplement that he was really unaware was one of the forbidden substances," McGuire told the newspaper.
McGuire told the newspaper that he didn't know the name of the supplement or the banned substance contained in it, but that Rogers tested positive in training camp.
McGuire told the newspaper that there would be no appeal.
"We just felt that going through the appeal process would only delay the inevitable," McGuire told the newspaper.
The substance that precipitated the positive test is not considered an anabolic steroid. But the violation still falls under the purview of the NFL's steroid and related substances policy, and not the substance abuse policy. Under the latter, a player must test positive multiple times to mandate a suspension. A violation under the steroid and related substances policy earns a player an immediate four-game suspension, even for a first offense.
ESPN.com's John Clayton first reported the four-game suspension.
Because of the timing of the suspension, and since Detroit has a bye week during the sanctions, Rogers will forfeit $250,000 of his scheduled $850,000 base salary for the 2006 season.
The suspension is immediate, meaning that Rogers will miss this Sunday's game at the New York Jets, home contests against Atlanta (Nov. 5) and San Francisco (Nov. 12), and a game at Arizona (Nov. 19). He will be eligible to return for the Thanksgiving Day game against the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 23.
A sixth-year veteran, Rogers was a second-round choice in the 2001 draft, and the former University of Texas star has, at times, been one of the NFL's most dominant interior defensive linemen. There have also been times, however, when Rogers' performance has been inconsistent, and in which his effort has been questioned by the Detroit organization.
Rogers, 27, has been battling right knee problems this season and first-year coach Rod Marinelli has held him out of some practices lately to take some pressure off the knee. Rogers may now use the suspension to take time to have arthroscopic surgery on the knee. In six games this season, Rogers has 20 tackles, three sacks and a fumble recovery.
For his career, Rogers has 314 tackles, 22 sacks, 18 pass deflections, four forced fumbles and five fumble recoveries. After the 2004 season, he signed a six-year, $46 million contract extension that made him the league's highest paid defensive tackle at the time.
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Originally Posted by Glenn
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