Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has been suspended for the first four games of the 2014 season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.
Johnson blamed the suspension, which had previously been reported but only today officially announced, on a medication that he says he took without realizing it was on the list of banned substances. He did not name the medication.
“In April while training, I mistakenly and foolishly put a prescribed medication in my body to help with a medical issue. I mistakenly failed to clear it with Eagles trainers and check the NFL list of banned substances. I am extremely sorry for this mistake and I will learn from it and be smarter in the future,” Johnson said. “This will be very hard on me to not be battling with my teammates for four games – but I will be ready and better than ever when I return.”
With Johnson and Miami’s Dion Jordan both suspended from Week One through Week Four, two of the NFL’s Top 4 picks in the 2013 NFL draft will be serving PED suspensions to start the season.
Johnson can participate in training camp and the preseason but will have to be away from the team’s facility from the start of the regular season through Monday, September 29.