Patriots WR Julian Edelman Denied Appeal Of Suspension For PED Use Violation

On Tuesday, New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman had his four-game suspension appeal denied.

Julian Edelman’s Suspension Appeal Denied

The 32-year-old was banned for the first four games of next season for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Edelman is still eligible to play in all preseason games and practices, however.

There were two main issues the wideout had raised as part of his appeal: First, the drug for which he tested positive was not formally recognized by NFL drug examiners. Additionally, the league reportedly mishandled documents pertaining to Edelman’s test results and their delivery.

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Edelman was sidelined for all of last season after rupturing his ACL during the preseason. Next fall, he will miss the Patriots’ games against Houston, Jacksonville, Detroit and Miami. His first game of 2018 will thus be an October 4 home matchup against the Indianapolis Colts.

Edelman recently helped stop a potential school shooting after seeing a threatening post on social media and reporting it to authorities. His case comes shortly after that of Reuben Foster. The San Francisco 49ers linebacker was suspended two games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct and substance abuse rules. Foster was arrested twice this offseason: in January for drug possession and then later on domestic violence and firearm possession charges. The linebacker’s former girlfriend had accused him of allegedly assaulting her, but then retracted her comments shortly afterwards.

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Foster, 24, was a first-round (No. 31) draft pick for the 49ers out of Alabama — where he was a three-time SEC champion — in 2017. He logged 72 tackles last season.