Ravens lead the NFL in drug suspensions

Posted by Michael David Smith on July 2, 2017, 6:21 AM EDT
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The Ravens lead the league in one stat they’d prefer not to: Suspensions for failed drug tests.

When Ravens tight end Darren Waller was suspended for the full 2017 season last week, it marked his second suspension and the 13th total suspension, coming from 10 different players, that the Ravens have received since 2010 for either performance-enhancing drugs and drugs of abuse. According to ESPN, that’s the most of any team.

Waller and Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon have both been suspended this offseason, though Dixon’s suspension is for only four games. The Ravens’ other recent suspensions are receiver David Reed in 2011, defensive end Ryan McBean in 2012, cornerback Asa Jackson in both 2012 and 2013, safety Christian Thompson in 2013, defensive tackle Haloti Ngata in 2014, safety Matt Elam in 2015, tight end Nick Boyle in both 2015 and 2016) and safety Will Hill in 2016.

Including Waller and Dixon, the Ravens’ suspensions have totaled 76 games over seven seasons.

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41 responses to “Ravens lead the NFL in drug suspensions”

  5. Not suprisingly the cowboys are right behind them with 12.
    The smart money is on the boys from Texas coming on strong to take the lead.

  6. It is difficult to understand how Waller found himself suspended again. One would think that after having been caught and punished once before, he would have insured that it not happen to him again. Think of the money that he is losing this season, plus this was his opportunity to really solidify his place on the team with all the injuries to other tight ends.

  10. The Ravens are pretty despicable but they can’t touch the Broncos when it comes to cheating. HGH Manning, PED user Von Miller, and getting caught paying star players under the table. Filthy.

  16. We know of at least one more – Ray Lewis’ deer antler spray (which contains the banned steroid IGF-1), squirted under the tongue every 2hrs, as the seller (Mitch Ross) told Lewis in a recorded phone call shortly before Lewis ordered it in 2013. But don’t be too hard on the Ravens – if the Head Coach don’t know the rules you can’t expect the players to.

  20. Ouch, too many troll comments to decide. So Ill just skip it. Good luck Baltimore, see you in the season.

  22. And the Seahawks haven’t had one since May of 2013, and he now plays with the Raiders.

  24. Been to Baltimore lately? Total dump.
    Eat crab cakes and do drugs are the activities of choice.
    You can only eat so many crab cakes.

  25. @ cmonitsfunny says:

    “Not suprisingly the cowboys are right behind them with 12. The smart money is on the boys from Texas coming on strong to take the lead.”

    The “smart money”? Are you saying you bet on things like this, Einstein? Unsurprisingly, the hater trolls are out in force today. This is an article about the Ravens, but the Cowboys need to be mentioned? The majority of the Cowboys suspensions (and I am guessing the same for Baltimore) are from outdated marijuana policy, but to haters it doesn’t matter. They take any opportunity to spew their hate, which is what this tool cmonitsfunny has done.

    Get hooked on oxycodone (and other opioids) and it isn’t even tested for during the regular season, it kills upwards of 30,000 people yearly, and yet the drug manufacturers continue to get away with manufacturing it and the MD’s get away with continuing to push it despite its known problems and addictive nature. Opioid addiction is an epidemic that needs to be dealt with as it should be, which is to be banned from being manufactured in the first place. But, the drug pushers (Big Pharma) continue their grind, and now make drugs to counteract the effects of opioids, as if that is going to help the matter.

    Until Marijuana is approved to be used for pain in the NFL (CBD is banned by the NFL for God’s sake, and it isn’t even psychoactive!), this problem will continue. Marijuana isn’t the end-all be all (although its issues are very minimal vs other things such as alcohol – the “true” gateway drug – and opioids), but it is among the most natural way to deal with pain without all the side affects, deaths, and addictions from the nasty pharmaceuticals.

    But you stay classy, cmonitsfunny.

  26. maxkingpin says:
    Jul 2, 2017 12:20 PM
    Been to Baltimore lately? Total dump.
    Eat crab cakes and do drugs are the activities of choice.
    You can only eat so many crab cakes.

    ——————-

    I’m not from Baltimore but they do have crab cakes here. They are delicious.

  29. lol…gotta try and keep up with The Undisputed Greatest Of All Time QB Tom “Terrific” Brady somehow.

  31. Everyone wants to talk about pot and steroids but I am pretty sure at least 5 of these guys were suspended for adderall. Waller and David Reed are the only ones that that I know for sure were suspended for smoking pot.

  32. “Everyone wants to talk about pot and steroids but I am pretty sure at least 5 of these guys were suspended for adderall. Waller and David Reed are the only ones that that I know for sure were suspended for smoking pot.”

    Will Hill was for pot for sure, Nick Boyle was for PEDs twice, and this second time around for Waller I don’t think it was Marijuana. On the second bust for pot you don’t get a suspension for a full year.

    As for your Adderall claim, you’d need to provide your proof as for how you know for sure since the actual drug they are busted for is kept confidential and would only be available via leak or if the player themselves said what the drug was.

  33. jsrdc says:
    Jul 2, 2017 2:01 PM
    @ cmonitsfunny says:

    “Not suprisingly the cowboys are right behind them with 12. The smart money is on the boys from Texas coming on strong to take the lead.”

    The “smart money”? Are you saying you bet on things like this, Einstein? Unsurprisingly, the hater trolls are out in force today. This is an article about the Ravens, but the Cowboys need to be mentioned? The majority of the Cowboys suspensions (and I am guessing the same for Baltimore) are from outdated marijuana policy, but to haters it doesn’t matter. They take any opportunity to spew their hate, which is what this tool cmonitsfunny has done.

    Get hooked on oxycodone (and other opioids) and it isn’t even tested for during the regular season, it kills upwards of 30,000 people yearly, and yet the drug manufacturers continue to get away with manufacturing it and the MD’s get away with continuing to push it despite its known problems and addictive nature. Opioid addiction is an epidemic that needs to be dealt with as it should be, which is to be banned from being manufactured in the first place. But, the drug pushers (Big Pharma) continue their grind, and now make drugs to counteract the effects of opioids, as if that is going to help the matter.

    Until Marijuana is approved to be used for pain in the NFL (CBD is banned by the NFL for God’s sake, and it isn’t even psychoactive!), this problem will continue. Marijuana isn’t the end-all be all (although its issues are very minimal vs other things such as alcohol – the “true” gateway drug – and opioids), but it is among the most natural way to deal with pain without all the side affects, deaths, and addictions from the nasty pharmaceuticals.

    But you stay classy, cmonitsfunny.

    _________________________________

    Jeez, Tammy, lighten up a little……….

  36. It all starts at the NCAA level Kids from the hood. Need to do this to stay in the show sad

  39. @ owentoo

    “Jeez, Tammy, lighten up a little………”

    That is all you got? Nice attempt at a retort there, swifty.

    As the saying goes, if you can’t handle the heat, don’t provoke the dragon.

  40. rollsieboys says:
    Jul 2, 2017 10:40 PM

    rotten organization from the top down. rotten city. what else do you expect from baltimore?

    ————————————————–

    For real? Grow up people.

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