ALBEMARLE — Former Albemarle Bulldog and current Houston Texan defensive lineman Denico Autry will be forced to sit out the first six games of the 2024 NFL season.
On Monday, the 11th-year league veteran was suspended by the league for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
In a public statement, Autry, 34, denied knowingly taking a banned substance, adding that a pharmacy that filled a prescription for him had “intentionally, recklessly, or negligently” included a PED that is barred in the NFL.
“Over the course of my 10-year NFL career, I have never engaged in the use of performance-enhancing drugs,” Autry said in a statement. “Over that period, I have been subject to countless tests, none of which have ever returned a positive result. I was, therefore, stunned this offseason when I learned that one of my tests returned a positive result.”
While Autry can play in upcoming preseason matchups and practices, he won’t be allowed to enter a regular-season game until Houston’s Oct. 20 game at Green Bay.
“It was important to me that the NFL know that I did not intentionally or even knowingly ingest a banned substance,” Autry continued. “I understand, however, that under the NFL’s policies, ultimate responsibility for what enters my body rests with me. To that end, while I intend to explore legal options pertaining to the circumstances that resulted in my positive test, I have accepted the NFL’s punishment of a six-game suspension.”
Autry added that his attorney has reportedly provided the league with official documentation from his doctor confirming that he never sought out a banned substance or requested it from a pharmacy.
In March, Autry signed a two-year, $20 million free-agent contract following a 2023 season where he had a career-high 11.5 sacks; the Albemarle native has 59 total sacks in his 10 NFL seasons.
As a Bulldog in his high school playing days, he was a standout two-way player at defensive end and tight end, leading Albemarle to a 12-2 record in his Rocky River Conference Defensive Player of the Year senior season before graduating in 2009.
Autry played college football at East Mississippi Community College and Mississippi State.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Oakland Raiders in 2014 and has also had a three-year stint in Indianapolis, followed by a three-year stint in Tennessee.
“I want to apologize to the Texans organization, my teammates, and the fans for any distraction this may cause,” Autry concluded in his statement. “Finally, I want to assure our fans that my commitment to competing to the best of my ability has only grown and I look forward to returning to the field.”