In an interview with Mike Reiss, Patriots defensive end Rob Ninkovich said he was “heartbroken” over being suspended for the use of a banned substance by the NFL. Claiming to be a man of high integrity, Ninkovich claimed ignorance when he said he was “unaware something I bought had a substance in it that would give me a positive test because it wasn’t listed [as an ingredient].” His lack of awareness cost him the first four games of the 2016 season.
The substance has yet to be named, but Ninkovich is taking full responsibility for his mistake, saying “That is a hard lesson for me to learn at this stage in my career… it’s a mistake I made and it hurts that I won’t be there for my teammates.” Expected to miss some games due to a triceps injury he suffered earlier in August, it was unclear just how long Ninkovich would be out for. After all, he was spotted at a practice just 5 days after tearing his tricep and the timetable for a return dropped from months to just weeks.
Wonder no more, Patriots fans. The rising fan-favorite will now be forced to sit out the Patriots’ first four games along with Tom Brady. He has had at least 30 tackles and six sacks every year dating back to 2011. He has also become an important player on special teams. His speedy recovery from injury this pre-season was a welcomed sign that he would return sooner than later. Now it seems as if the recovery and the suspension are somehow related.
What the Rob Ninkovich Suspension Means for the Patriots
For starters, expect less impressive numbers from Ninkovich this year. Being limited to 12 games won’t necessarily make him less productive on a per-game basis, but having a serious injury could impact his health moving forward and thus decrease his effectiveness in certain situations.
Chris Long will fill most of the void left by Ninkovich, with Trey Flowers and Shea McClellin likely seeing limited action as well. Newcomer Barkevious Mingo – depending on how quickly he picks up New England’s defense – could spend a decent amount of time there too.
With the pre-season officially wrapped up, the Patriots’ focus now shifts to the season opener against the Cardinals on September 11th on NBC’s Sunday Night Football.
