On the eve of an important home game against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been thrown for another loss — the unexpected four-game suspension of standout cornerback Aqib Talib for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing drugs.
In a surprise press release from the club Saturday afternoon, an NFL spokesperson stated that Talib’s suspension will begin immediately and that he’ll be eligible to return to the Bucs on Nov. 5, following the team’s Nov. 4 game in Oakland against the Raiders.
Talib, according to his own prepared statement Saturday, said he violated the
NFL’s performance enhancing drug policy during camp with the
unauthorized use of Adderall, a prescription drug that is classified as
an amphetamine and is commonly used to control symptoms of attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder.
"Around the beginning of training camp, I made a mistake by taking
an Adderall pill without a prescription,” Talib said in his statement.
“This is especially regrettable because, for the past several months,
with Coach (Greg) Schiano's help, I've worked very hard to improve myself — professionally and personally — as a player and a man. I am truly sorry to my teammates, coaches and Buccaneers fans, and I'm disappointed in myself.
“I
will work diligently every day of this suspension to stay in top
football shape and be ready to help this team in the second half of the
season. I have chosen to be immediately accountable for the situation I
put myself in, which is why I will not exercise my appeal rights and
will begin serving the suspension immediately."
Talib, who has had a history of brushes with the law during his five years with the Bucs, was the subject of an ongoing controversy this past year stemming from a felony weapons charge in Texas. Charges were dropped prior to this season, and Talib has earned nothing but praise for his hard work and attitude from new head coach Schiano.
Schiano, whose 1-3 team badly needs a win against the 1-4 Chiefs, had this to say in the press release:
“We are disappointed to learn that Aqib Talib will be suspended for four games, which will begin with our game tomorrow against Kansas City. I have spoken with Aqib, and he knows that he made a poor decision that let our team down. Certainly, other players will have the opportunity to step up while he serves this suspension."
Without Talib, E.J. Biggers and Myron Lewis will stand to see increased action at the left corner spot. The loss of Talib is a major blow for a defense that already has suffered a season-ending loss to starting right defensive end Adrian Clayborn to a knee injury and lost left defensive end Da’Quan Bowers to a torn Achilles tendon in offseason workouts.
The Bucs placed Talib on the reserve/suspended list and promoted defensive end Markus White to the 53-man roster. White entered the league with the Washington Redskins as a seventh-round pick in 2011, playing in two games as a rookie. This season, he has spent two weeks on the Bucs practice squad, and most recently spent two weeks on Washington’s active roster, participating in one game.
