Seahawks cornerback Brandon Browner has been suspended indefinitely for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the NFL announced Wednesday.
“Brandon Browner of the Seattle Seahawks has been suspended indefinitely without pay for violating the NFL Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse,” the NFL announced in a statement. “Browner’s suspension begins immediately.”
Browner released the following statement via his Twitter account:
“I want to thank the Seahawks organization for the incredible opportunity they gave me when they took a chance on a player who was out of the NFL and playing in the CFL for 4 years. I also want to thank all of my teammates, coaches, trainers, staff and the 12’s for their support, respect, and friendship and for helping me grow into the player, father, and person I am today. I have been treated with nothing but first class by everyone associated with the Seattle Seahawks and for that I am forever grateful. Although I disagree with the circumstances surrounding my suspension, I accept responsibility for all of my actions and I apologize for any that causes any unflattering reflections of my family and the Seahawks. I believe in my innocence and will continue to fight with all legal resources available to me to. Go Hawks!!!”
Browner, who last year served a four-game suspension for a performance enhancing drug violation, appealed this suspension three weeks ago and he and the team had been awaiting word of the appeal. Browner has missed the past four games with a groin injury suffered in last month’s win in Atlanta.
Browner’s appeal was reportedly based on the fact that he had fallen into the third stage of the league’s drug program not because of a failed test, but because he had missed a test while out of the league and playing in Canada. Browner initially was in the league’s drug program because of a failed test during his brief stint with Denver prior to playing in the CFL.
Browner’s agent indicated via Twitter that his client isn’t done fighting the league’s discipline.
As the great Revolutionary war Admiral J.P. Jones said when refusing to surrender to the British “I have not yet begun to fight” @bbrowner27
— Peter Schaffer (@peterjschaffer) December 19, 2013
Players who fail a test while in Stage 3 of the league’s drug program, “will be banished from the NFL for a minimum period of one calendar year,” which is why the suspension is classified as an indefinite one, not a one-year ban. After that year is up, Browner can apply for reinstatement. Browner, 29, is a free agent after this season, and given Seattle’s depth at cornerback, and that this is his second suspensions in as many years, it’s likely he has played his last game as a Seahawk.
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