Denico Autry’s debut with the Houston Texans would have to wait a while after the National Football League suspended him for six games for violating the league’s policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
In a statement he released after the suspension, Autry said he did not intentionally ingest a banned substance. Instead, his doctors allegedly gave him a new prescription that contained a banned substance. Autry also clarified that he did not request a prescription for a substance that the NFL deemed illegal. The defensive lineman ended his statement by apologizing to the Texans organization and their fans.
#Texans DE Denico Autry is being suspended six games for violating NFL policy against performance-enhancing drugs.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 29, 2024
He has released a statement saying, “It was important to me that the NFL know that I did not intentionally or even knowingly ingest a banned substance.“
Full: pic.twitter.com/1zc7k8eyTb
Autry joined the Texans after tallying a career-high 11.5 sacks for the Tennessee Titans last season, the first time he finished with double-digit sacks. This time, he will join a franchise with high expectations after reaching the AFC Divisional Round. However, in his absence, other defensive ends like Danielle Hunter, Derek Barnett, and Will Anderson Jr. should have increased playing time.
-Lance Fernandez