Ravens tight end Nick Boyle is facing another suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs, the team announced today (via Twitter). Boyle has been suspended without pay for the first 10 games of the 2016 season.
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Boyle, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, caught 18 balls for 153 yards in his rookie season. However, his first year in the NFL was cut short in December when he was suspended four games for a violation of the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Having finished serving that penalty, Boyle will begin serving his 10-game ban when the 2016 season gets underway.
At the time of Boyle’s initial suspension in December, John Harbaugh said the rookie’s ban wasn’t for steroids. The Ravens head coach declined to name the substance that resulted in the failed test, but suggested it was a common violation, adding that Boyle admitted it was a stupid mistake (Twitter links via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun).
With Boyle now facing a lengthier suspension for a similar violation, apparently having repeated last year’s “stupid mistake,” it’ll be interesting to see whether Harbaugh continues to publicly stand by his player.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.