Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis took to Twitter to announce that he has tested positive for a substance on the NFL’s banned list.
This is by far one of the saddest days of my NFL career. I never thought that this would happen to me. I’ve worked extremely hard to do things the right way on and off the field. Panther Nation please know that I am not a cheater. #KeepPounding pic.twitter.com/zUppMfm6yk
— Thomas Davis (@ThomasDavisSDTM) April 6, 2018
Interestingly, Davis says in the video that he’s taken the substance for years without it causing a positive test. The NFL followed up by officially announcing it as a four-game suspension.
Panthers LB Thomas Davis suspended four games: https://t.co/WU5jKXcj7O pic.twitter.com/wj1XRCXuOZ
— NFL (@NFL) April 6, 2018
Although news of the positive test isn’t good, there’s also plenty of other questions looming about Davis’ future. Not the least of which is that he’ll be 35-years-old. He’s been a high-quality player for much of his career (which has seen him spend all 12 of his professional years with the Carolina Panthers). Davis says in the video that he’ll accept the NFL’s punishment, so it wouldn’t look like he’s planning his retirement anytime soon, despite this setback.
Thomas Davis has been remarkably durable over the course of his career, despite suffering through a few injury-plagued years from 2009 to 2011. In 2015, he was named to the AP’s All-Pro First Team. That season he contributed 75 tackles (plus 30 assists) and four interceptions. His high-mark for tackles in a season came in 2013 when he had 85. That number has dropped with every ensuing season and is unlikely to pick up. Although the Panthers can easily justify hanging onto the veteran linebacker.
This won’t be Davis’ first NFL suspension or even his first of the past few months. On December 18th, 2017, the NFL gave Davis a two-game suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Packers receiver Davante Adams. The next day, the suspension was shortened to one game.
