Brian Cushing Suspended For Steroids

Houston Texans linebacker Brian Cushing has been suspended four games without pay for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

The Houston Texans will start the year without one of their best linebackers as Brian Cushing will be sitting out the first four games after testing positive for steroids.
Cushing will serve his suspension over the first four games of the upcoming season and will be eligible to return during the week of Oct. 4.

There’s no official comment from Cushing, but Texans GM Rick Smith says the Texans are “disappointed” with the events. That Cushing appealed the decision probably means that he’ll deny any wrongdoing. So he’ll have that in common with everyone else in sports ever nailed for performance-enhancers.

Brian Cushing will be allowed to participate in training camp with the Texans this summer, but then will serve his four-game suspension to start the 2010 regular season.

Cushing had been promoting an appearance on the NFL Network show “Total Access Live” scheduled for Friday evening on his Facebook page before posting the following message Friday afternoon: “Had to cancel NFL Network and all other interviews due to a family emergency. Heading to airport to fly back to NJ to be with the fam.”

Brian Cushing, 23, has been dogged by steroid rumors since he left his New Jersey high school to play at USC. He never dodged the steroids speculation, always saying that he gets tested regularly and has never tested positive.

Brian Cushing won’t be able to make that statement again.