Just a few days after it was revealed that Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson will likely miss the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury, it’s the Colts’ defense that has now taken a hit.
The NFL suspended starting defensive tackle Grover Stewart six games without pay for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
“I want to apologize to the National Football League, the Colts organization, my teammates, our fans, and my family,” Stewart wrote on Instagram.Â
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“I was surprised and disappointed to learn I had violated the policy. I respect the integrity of the game and would never purposefully put myself or the team in this kind of situation. I am responsible for what I put in my body, and I should have taken the proper steps to educate myself. I will learn from this moving forward, and I will take the appropriate measures to ensure this never happens again.”
Stewart has been a mainstay on the Colts’ defensive line for years, missing just two games since he was a fourth-round pick out of Albany State in 2017. He has started 68 consecutive games and owns a Pro Football Focus grade of 75.2 this season.Â
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Stewart is currently in the final year of a three-year, $30.75 million extension he signed back in 2020.
He will be eligible to return Dec. 4 when the Colts take on the Tennessee Titans.
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In 102 career games, Stewart has recorded 259 combined tackles, 8.5 sacks and 32 QB hits, with most of his work coming from top-notch run-stopping in the middle of the defensive line alongside DeForest Buckner.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.