National Football League
Chiefs WR Bowe suspended for drug violation
National Football League

Chiefs WR Bowe suspended for drug violation

Published Nov. 18, 2009 3:19 a.m. ET

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has been suspended for four games for violating the NFL's policy against performance-enhancing substances.


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Bowe's agent, Todd France, said his client was guilty only of taking a weight loss supplement.

"Dwayne did not take a steroid or any other peformance-enhancing drug," France said in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "However he took a diuretic for weight loss, which unfortunately has a negative effect under the league's policy. Dwayne is sincerely disappointed and apologetic that he let down the Chiefs organization, his teammates and the fans. He looks forward to returning and putting this situation behind him."

Neither the Chiefs nor the league would make further comment.

Bowe has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the Chiefs (2-7). He leads the team with 33 catches, including six catches for 91 yards last weekend in a win at Oakland. He also had a season-high 109 yards in the Chiefs' other win, at Washington.

The 25-year-old Bowe is in his third year in the NFL, all with Kansas City. He was a first-round draft pick in 2007 out of LSU, where his 26 touchdown receptions are a school record.

In his 40-game NFL career, he has 189 catches for 2,483 yards (13.1 ypc) and 16 TDs.

The Chiefs are coming off a 16-10 victory over the Raiders heading into a home game against Pittsburgh. Kansas City has won just five of its past 35 games.

Bowe started all 16 games for the Chiefs in 2008, finishing 86 catches — a franchise single-season record for wide receivers — for 1,022 yards and seven touchdowns.

As a rookie he played in all 16 games, making 15 starts and finishing with 70 catches for 995 yards and five touchdowns. His reception and receiving yardage totals set franchise season records by a Chiefs rookie.

Still, he has often been criticized for dropping too many passes. Prior to this season, he spent most of training camp in first-year head coach Todd Haley's doghouse, even being demoted to third team in what appeared to be an effort to motivate him.

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